The Farmers Mail

LIVESTOCK FARMERS URGED TO BE ALERT AND REPORT ANY SIGNS OF DISEASES IN ANIMALS
By Lukundo Nankamba

Government is urging livestock farmers across the country to remain vigilant and quickly report any signs of diseases in animals.

Fisheries and Livestock Minister, Makozo Chikote says this follows the outbreak of African swine fever and Anthrax in some parts of the country, which have affected animals and have the potential to wipe out an industry and erode decades of hard work.

Mr. Chikote has told Phoenix News that there is need to be proactive in efforts to protect investments in the livestock sector and ensuring animals are checked regularly.

He says the outbreak of these diseases pose a threat to the sustainability of the local food supply chain and may also lead to dietary changes, which can affect the health of many Zambians.


Mr. Chikote says while government has put in place various interventions, prevention relies heavily on biosecurity measures and the collaboration of all stakeholders involved in the industry including segregation, disinfection and cleaning.
PHOENIX NEWS

⛔help contain the spread of Anthrax in Southern Province of Zambia.

Guess where admin is putting his money 💰💰 on....

Protect yourself and your animals from contracting Anthrax.

Anthrax is an Infectious Disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Although it is rare, it can affect both humans and animals. In animals, anthrax most commonly affects herbivores like cattle, sheep, and goats. Farmers who work with such animals need to be aware of the potential risks and take necessary precautions.

Anthrax can be spread through contact with contaminated animal products or environments. The primary routes of transmission for farmers include:

Direct contact: Farmers can contract anthrax by handling infected animals, coming into contact with their blood, tissues, or carcasses. The bacteria can enter the body through cuts, abrasions, or through the eyes, mouth, or nose.

Inhalation: Farmers can inhale spores of the B. anthracis bacterium when handling contaminated animal products, such as wool, hides, or bones.

Symptoms of anthrax in humans can vary depending on the route of infection, but commonly include:

Cutaneous anthrax: Characterized by itchy skin lesions that develop into black sores.

Inhalation anthrax: Initially presents as flu-like symptoms, but progresses rapidly to severe respiratory distress.

Gastrointestinal anthrax: Causes nausea, vomiting, and severe abdominal pain.

Prevention is crucial for farmers to reduce the risk of contracting anthrax. Here are some key preventive measures:

Vaccination: Animals can be vaccinated against anthrax, and farmers should ensure their livestock is immunized regularly.

Proper handling and disposal: Use protective clothing like gloves, masks, and goggles when handling potentially infected animals or their products. Dispose of carcasses properly, following local regulations.

Hygiene practices: Ensure proper personal hygiene, such as washing hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animals or their products.

Surveillance and reporting: Keep an eye out for unexplained illnesses or deaths in animals and report them to local veterinary authorities promptly.

Education and awareness: Stay informed about anthrax and its prevention strategies through training programs and resources provided by relevant agricultural and veterinary authorities.

Prompt detection and response can help minimize the risks associated with anthrax.

©️ The Farmers Mail

@59💚💚💚

WAS IT MANDATORY FOR GOVERNMENT TO BUY THE SOYABEANS FROM FARMERS?

By kissinger Hansingo

Government of zambia is not obliged to buy farm produce because we have a free market economy policy.
The economic transformation into a free-market system began toward the end of 1991, in stark contrast to the statist African socialist regime of Kaunda. To tackle a serious economic crisis, the government agreed to introduce substantial economic reforms to secure much-needed loans from the World Bank and IMF. This saw the closure of companies like Rhonilo, to***co board of zambia to mention but a few.these Government companies responsible in buying cotton and to***co respectively. We also had dairy production board which bought milk from farmers. However, Government needed have food reserves for its citizens in case of calamity. Food reserve agence "FRA" was established under the Food Reserve Act of April 1995 the FRA aims at becoming an organisation that efficiently manages sustainable National Strategic Food Reserves, ensuring National Food Security and Income through the provision of complementary and high quality marketing and storage services.
This meant Government can only buy farm produce for its reserves and they are free to come up with the price which is in conformity with the supply and demand at a given time.
Then this meant that farmers and private businesses have to come in and do the buying and selling of the farm produce at a price that can be dicteted by the supply and demand.
Government was also live to the fact that farmers especially small scale farmers are susceptible to getting role deals hence marketing training were intensified under the ministry of agriculture through its extension officers. Agrigation and bulking is one of the major topics taught to farmers. What are these two topics I have just mentioned and how significant are they to our zambian situation.
Aggregators are agricultural businesses or cooperatives of growers that consolidate and distribute agricultural products. They typically support regional growers of diverse sizes and experience, and sell products to local or regional markets. On the other side bulk agricultural commodity . means any agricultural commodity that can be trans- ported in bulk and can be temporarily stored in bulk quantities without undergoing processing or packaging
This can help farmers come together and have a powerful voice in price bargaining and it also attracts the would be buyers because they will find the commodities at one place. When farmers agrigate and bulk they can sell there produce direct to the manufacturer or processors.
Government through the ministry of agriculture and other cooperating partners is encouraging processing. Cooperatives can do the processing.
Apart from providing much needed market of farm produce to the small scale farmers, Processing also helps to reduce wastage and ensure that the food produced is of good quality. There are many benefits of food processing for farmers. It helps them to earn better by adding value to their products and making them more marketable. It also helps reduce wastage and ensure that the food produced is of good quality not to mention the creation of employment.
In Zambian the problem came in when governments started using the buying and selling of farm produce and inputs as a compagn tool. This made citizens in this case farmers relax in doing the needful of forming Cooperatives objectively.
Also the ministry of agriculture which has the mandate to research on agriculture and train farmers is not only not well funded but the ratio between extension officers at camp level has grown.
This means the much needed message on marketing of farm produce just reach the selected few.
Cooperatives department have just a skeleton staff in each district. Just two officers at district level abd no field staff.
I think as much as Government has to do more in making sure that farmers have access to low interest loans, even farmers themselves have to work up from the slamber and hold the bull by its horns. No time to cry.

In conclusion, some farmers are crying but others who have function Cooperatives are happy because they will make alot of money this season on soyabeans. However, Zambia National Farmers union "ZNFU" and District farmers associations "DCUs" should rise to the occasion and start looking for soyabeans market for its farmers. They should not go to FRA and cry because FRA has a different mandate as I have articulated above. Also cooperatives and other farmer groups should put there organisations in order and work for once.
Government should not just focus on FISP but on other equally important issues of making sure farmers are receiving quality training from the ministry of agriculture. The first thing is to provide adequate resources to the officers in the ministry. Also to make sure that government policy on agriculture is explained to farmers so that they make informed decisions. Always tell farmers the truth even if it hurts or it hurts.

This is how I see things. What's your commentor opinion?

Good morning 🌞

The Zambia Agriculture Research Institute -ZARI has developed the first ever fall army worm tolerant variety of maize seed.
The development will help the government to spend less on procuring chemicals to fight army worms.
ZARI Senior Agriculture Research Officer LUTANGU MAKWETI, who is based at Msekera Research Station in Chipata, says the new seed is medium maturing and is also good for places like Eastern Province.
Mr MAKWETI said this during a seed fare organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and GIZ held in Chipata yesterday.
And Chipata District Administrative Officer KAPEMBWA SIKAZWE urged farmers to plant certified seeds only.

Good news to the farmers!!! We may normal to above normal rains 🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️.

National and Regional Weather and Climate Experts have predicted that the bulk of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Region is likely to receive normal to above-normal rainfall for the period November 2022 – March 2023

Storing cattle feed for improved milk and meat yelds.
How livestock in Africa could play a greater role in reducing hunger across the continent.

Storing cattle feed can improve milk and meat yields: why African farmers aren't doing it Improving the diets of livestock in Africa provides a rapid pathway to increasing nutrition for people.

People you may know 😊 who are also farmers
Anita Munamonga

🤎 We rely on soils for 9⃣5⃣% of the food we consume.

They are the life support for our food security.

Here are 6⃣ actions farmers can take to fight soil nutrient imbalance👇🏽
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Farmers! It's time to start preparing.... The rains 🌧️🌧️🌧️ are upon us.

British's longest serving monarch dies 💜💜

Renewable energy

This is how a biogas digester must be constructed to replace the old and outdated septic tank

Organic fertilizer for farmers

Zambia can meet growing food demand: how to fix what's standing in its way Producers in Zambia should be getting more for their crops, and buyers in East Africa should be paying less, alleviating food price spikes.

BACTERIAL WILT IN TOMATO PLANTS

The disease is caused by bacteria and occurs in moist soils, coupled with high temperatures and soils with high pH.
It is mostly spread through contaminated irrigation water, contaminated farm tools or infected planting seeds.
The disease has no cure, so monitoring, preventing, direct control measures remain the best practices.
💎Symptoms and Identification
1️⃣The younger leaves appear to wilt during hotter parts of the day which then recovers at night when temperatures are cooler.
2️⃣Rapid wilting of the whole plant without yellowing. Plants appear to have a stunted growth.
3️⃣When stem of infected plant is cut a brown colour resulting from damaged tissues is seen with a slimy substance oozing from a fleshly cut stem…
(C) Zambia Agribusiness Society

This is inspiring❤️
🌾🌾

EGG PLANT PRODUCTION
This is a vegetable crop that performs best in warm weather conditions . Soil Ph rage of 5.5-6.5 are most suitable for this particular crop.
Ensure you plant on well drained soils
LAND PREPARATION
▪Till the land 60cm deep to fine tilth for proper root development and water infiltration.
▪Risen beds are the most suitable for plantation.
PLANTING AND TRANSPLANTING
For direct sowing place seeds in farrows of 2cm depth .
For transplanted seedlings, transplant after 4-5 weeks after planting
Transplant in the morning or late afternoon to avoid wilting of the plant .
N.B: can follow package for spacing guidance as there maybe a variation depending on variety.
FERTILIZER PROGRAMME
▪For directly sown plants apply VEGMIX A 4 days after germination at 15g /plant.
▪For transplanted plants apply VEGMIX A 4 days after transplanting at 15g per plant .
▪After 21 days apply VEG TOP 24 at 2.5 g/plant.
▪There after repeat the application of VEG TOP 24 every after 2 weeks
▪Ensure you place the fertilizer 5cm away from the plant and 5cm deep then irrigate
☆Expected to mature within 60-90 days

C-Agrolit

Editor's pick

FARMING IS NOT A MENIAL WORK AND MUST BE APPROACHED WITH GREAT HUMILITY

“You are a farmer, ha ha ha ha!! Oh my gosh!” they just laugh with no understanding.

Some people still think that farming is menial work and "beneath" them. This is not so, because every action has eternal value. Tossing garbage cans and manure around have the same value as writing a thesis or working at any other occupation that appears to be cleaner.

There is nothing dirty about farming. Everything the farmer deals with is clean and everything has a purpose. The manure is going to help give us food for next year. The cow will produce calves and give milk and meat. Everything on the farm leads to the feeding of mankind. How can farming be dirty when it feeds our Mother Earth.

Farming must be approached with great humility. The farmer learns at the source of all schooling, where everything began, where all knowledge originally comes from. A farmer is reverent of the school of nature and its experience, and isn't afraid of it.

A farmer uses humble similes. He or she has the right to do so because he or she has lived them. A farmer is understanding of others because he or she is understood by the world around him or her and he or she continues to contemplate on the mystery of life in the country.

A farmer walks purposefully; he or she doesn't waste one moment of time, a precious, God-given commodity. If a farmer misses a day, there will be no hay. If he or she ploughs a little too late, there will be no harvest. If he or she seeds one hour too late and a storm comes, then all his or her work will be undone. A farmer respects time and knows that it makes up seasons and hours. A farmer knows how he or she must use it, and neither allows it to be his or her master nor makes it his or her slave.

The farmer follows his or her call promptly and joyously, even if it lifts him or her out of his or her warm bed early in the morning and brings him or her back to his or her warm bed only late at night. He or she knows it is his or her call.

Give it to someone!!!

Freddie Ndindana