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Advocates for National Development and Democracy (ANDD), has called for early distribution of farming inputs for the 2023/24 farming season.

ANDD Executive Director, Samuel Banda notes that the last farming season was a disaster and was not managed well, hence the need to ensure that things are done properly now to promote national and domestic food security.

Mr Banda also says Zambia has the potential to feed itself and also export maize to neighbouring countries if the agriculture sector is well managed to earn Forex, which in turn can help to stabilise the local currency.

He says the current high cost of living, skyrocketing prices of basic commodities requires a vibrant agriculture sector, which is not only effective but sustainable.

And Mr Banda has urged  the government to increase the number of fertiliser bags for both D Compound and Urea, to 10 under the Farmer Input Support Programme to increase agricultural production and also empower farmers.

He notes that the current number of bags each farmer used to get cannot support food security and poverty eradication in the country.

“Farmers need to be empowered not only by giving them inputs, but giving them enough inputs on time, for them to be motivated to produce more for both domestic consumption and for purposes of exports” Mr Banda says.

He has also urged the government to deal with smuggling of both maize and mealie meal to protect the country’s food security, which has been threatened by porous borders.

DESPITE having recorded profit amounting to K9, 041, 551 for the period between 2022-2023 the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is owing Zambia Revenue Authority and NAPSA.

According to FAZ president Andrew Kamanga, the association is still grappling with the historical debt which he did not disclose.

Kamanga is however grateful to the Ministry of Sports Youth and Arts for providing guidance on how to deal with the debt through government channels.

Kamanga has also confirmed that FAZ has applied for purchase of GPS equipment which will be distributed to Super League teams.

He said the GPS project will be especially crucial in helping clubs track the performance of their players using technology.

Kamanga also unveiled the association’s plans to buy a luxurious coach for the Zambia national team through a FIFA project.

With the KoPa project having contributed over K2 million in profit, Kamanga said the association plans to launch the upgraded KoPa jersey that the Chipolopolo will use for the June AFCON qualifiers and the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Kamanga said the 30th Gabon Disaster Memorial will be commemorated alongside KK Day which falls on April 28.

“As we commemorate the anniversary of the darkest hour in the history of our game, we have combined efforts with government to draw up a programme for the event. We also take cognisance of the fact that April 28 is a designated public holiday in honour of First Republican President Kenneth David Kaunda,” Kamanga said.

“The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts have aligned this year’s anniversary with the KK Day. We will converge at the Heroes Acre on Friday morning and join in the government programme in the National Heroes Stadium afterwards,” he said.

Kamanga said the 30th anniversary coincides with the five-year official government pronouncement to commemorate the Gabon disaster with an official function.

He said the memory of the heroes who were on their way to fulfilling a USA 94’ FIFA World Cup match in Dakar inspires the current generation to keep working towards actualising their dream of qualifying for the World Cup.

KHARTOUM – European nations, China and others from around the world raced to extract thousands of their citizens from Khartoum yesterday during an apparent lull in fierce fighting between the army and a paramilitary force.

The sudden eruption of violence between the military and the well-armed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group on April 15 has triggered a humanitarian crisis and killed 420 people. Along with millions of Sudanese without access to basic services and trapped in their homes, thousands of foreign diplomats, aid workers, students and their families found themselves stuck in a war zone last week.

Fighter jets have bombed the capital, the main airport has been at the centre of fighting and artillery barrages have made movement unsafe in and out of one of Africa’s largest cities. Diplomats have been targeted in attacks, and at least five aid workers killed. – REUTERS.

The first in-human-study of a new immunotherapy that blocks a natural enzyme tumors commandeer for their protection was well tolerated by children with relapsed brain tumors and enabled many to have unexpected months of a more normal life, researchers say.

Poor air quality could be causing cognitive deficits in babies and toddlers, according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

 A 50-YEAR-OLD transporter has been convicted for smuggling 27 Burundians, in a human trafficking scandal that saw him earn US$13,500. The Department of Immigration has revealed that Amani Ntahomvukiye, was bursted in January after a tip off by a member of the public after he was seen in a house with the 27. “He was […]

 TWO elderly women of Masaiti who allegedly poured hot water on a 79-year-old man’s private parts are expected to be charged with murder. This follows the death of the victim who early this year suffered burns after the two, his wife and friend poured hot water during a quarrel over a piece of land. In […]

A new study, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and led by an Upstate Medical University professor, has found that compared with standard antibiotic treatment, stool transplantation can increase the number of people recovering from Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infection, a condition that causes potentially life-threatening diarrhea. Within the study, 77% of people who received a stool transplant did not experience reinfection within eight weeks, compared to 40% of those who received antibiotics alone.

Young children with common ear, nose, and throat (ENT) issues may be at subsequent risk of autism or high levels of demonstrable autism traits, suggests research published online in BMJ Open.

Doctors are more extroverted, agreeable, and conscientious, but also more neurotic and less open than their patients, finds an analysis of responses to two nationally representative Australian surveys, published online in the open access journal BMJ Open.