Let’s have maize reserves of up to two farming seasons – Kazabu

GRACE CHAILE

FORMER Agriculture and Livestock Deputy Minister Richard Kazabu has urged government to place national food security at the as its priority by ensuring sufficient maize reserves for at least up to the next two farming seasons before considering any exports of surplus grain.

Speaking in an interview, Mr Kazabu said while exporting excess maize could generate much-needed foreign exchange for the country, this should only be done after domestic food needs were fully secured.

He emphasised the importance of strategic planning in light of changing weather patterns and other uncertainties affecting agriculture. “There is no point in us sitting on lots and lots of maize. All we need to do is secure our food needs by keeping sufficient reserves to take us through the next two years, even if the Almighty God does not bless us with good rainfall. Once that is done, what remains as surplus can be sold,” he said.

He described the anticipated bumper harvest as a welcome development, attributing it largely to the timely distribution of farming inputs during the last farming season.

He urged government to maintain this momentum and to further improve efficiency in the delivery of agricultural support to farmers.

Mr Kazabu underlined the broader economic implications of the harvest, particularly for mealie meal production and pricing.

He said the availability of maize at a consistent and reasonable price should allow millers to operate at full capacity and reduce the cost of production.

“Every Zambian will be elated by the expected bumper harvest. We expect mealie meal prices to drop, and we can only appeal to the millers that the benefits of this bumper harvest should trickle down to the people,” he said.

He also noted that with more maize available locally, it was reasonable to expect a reduction in retail mealie meal prices, giving relief to citizens.

Mr Kazabu also urged government to set a fair and attractive floor price for maize to ensure that small-scale farmers were adequately rewarded for their efforts. He stressed that agriculture must be treated as a business if farmers are to be motivated to increase production.

He also raised concerns about the limited reach of agricultural extension services, noting that productivity levels among smallholder farmers remained low due to a lack of technical support and guidance. “When I was at the ministry, one agricultural assistant was serving more than a thousand farmers,” he recalled.

“That ratio is far too high. Farmers need regular access to camp officers if they are to adopt modern methods and increase productivity. Without that, their yields will remain low, and they won’t realise the full benefits of their work,” he added.

Mr Kazabu estimated that current productivity levels among small-scale farmers averaged between 1.5 and 2 metric tonnes per hectare, figures he described as too low to guarantee profitability, especially in the face of rising input costs such as fertiliser and seed. He argued that with better support and access to expert advice, smallholder farmers could significantly boost their output.

He stated that once domestic needs were met, maize exports could provide a major economic boost by generating foreign currency and supporting the value of the Kwacha.

“When you export, you raise a lot of money in the form of dollars. That will help to enhance the value of the Kwacha. That is how this bumper harvest can positively impact the economy, by selling what we truly consider as excess stock,” he said.