FARMERS EMPOWERMENT

By HAPPY MULOLANI Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has called on agriculture field staff to stimulate farmer’s business acumen as they implement the Enhanced Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Programme (E-SAPP) in the focal districts in Eastern province. Eastern Province Provincial Agricultural Coordinator Alex Chilala says field staff need to acquaint themselves with the programme’s selection criteria and eligibility under the different categories of smallholder farmers under the programme. Mr Chilala said eligible farmers will be empowered with matching grants in their enterprises in order to boost farming as a business. This facility will enable smallholder farmers to be self-sustainable in their farming enterprises. He said such support will allow more smallholder farmers to be equipped with business knowledge through the series of capacity building and trainings the programme is expected to offer during its lifespan. And E-SAPP Programme Coordinator Kwibisa Liywalii says staff need to be committed to promote the programme goals which are tailored towards contributing to increased food security, business linkages and incomes. Mr Liywalii said the programme will empower smallholder farmers through farming as a business field schools which will be the window of interaction. Through these farmer field schools in the focal districts, farmers will be trained in the different value chain commodities which the programme is supporting which include; small livestock, legumes, aquaculture and rice. He urged smallholder farmers to develop a business acumen in farmers in order to promote an entrepreneurship culture in order for them to progress in their enterprises. Mr Liywalii said the lessons learnt and shared will enable farmers to facilitate the programme goal of business linkages and interventions for improved food security, nutrition security and increased incomes. This is in line with the Ministry of Agriculture’s mandate of attaining increased food security and income. The Enhanced Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Programme (E-SAPP) is a seven year programme funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) valued at a total cost of US$29.7million. It is a programme under the Ministry of Agriculture whose goal is to contribute to improved food security, nutrition and incomes of smallholder farmers in 30 focal districts targeting 61,000 smallholder farmers countrywide.