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—Government says it has targeted one million small scale farmers this year under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) countrywide.
Mitete District Commissioner, Teddy Chimbinde, said this on Friday in Mitete district during the official opening of the first-ever District Agricultural and Commercial Show that at Mitete Primary School grounds.
Mr Chimbinde said a total of 2,054 farmers have been targeted in Mitete district to benefit from 1,067 maize packs and 194 rice packs.
The DC said other packs are 793 for sorghum which has an increase of 534 packs from last year.
The DC has since urged all the farmers to take agriculture as a serious business in order to supplement government’s efforts in improving the living standards of the people.
In another development Mr Chimbinde said government has employed all the key staff under the Ministry of Agriculture in the district to provide the much needed and desired extension services to farmers.
He said the act indicates how the government of the day is committed to enhancing national food security.
Mr Chimbinde further said he is aware of the challenges faced by the agricultural department especially in the organisation of the Agricultural and Commercial Show, saying government will always come to their aid.
The DC has since urged Mitete residents to work together with the government of the day in order to bring development to the area.
And Mitete District Agricultural and Commercial Show Committee Chairperson, Charles Chizuwo, said the first ever Agricultural and Commercial exhibition shows that there are many other celebrations to happen in the district.
Mr Chizuwo said the committee started preparing three months ago though with a number of challenges.
He mentioned that communication to some far-flung places like Kakwacha, Lutembwe and Lupui had been very difficult due to lack of telecom network, adding that the district relies on Lukulu Radio Station to send and receive messages.
The Chairperson has since thanked government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock for making the show possible, adding that the act symbolises that Mitete is now a district.
The first ever District Agricultural and Commercial Show in Mitete District was celebrated under them theme, “2014 breaking new grounds through diversification, value addition and export”.
The show, which was officially closed on Saturday after awarding deserving farmers, was also attended by officers from different departments in Mitete district.
Farmers in the district turned up in good numbers to exhibit various food staff.
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