Chipata trades ventures into winter maize production

Dilika Ward Councillor Samuel Phiri (Left), and Chipata District Administrative Officer Kapembwa Sikazwe (Second from Left), listen to a seed company representative as he explains the benefits of winter maize production during the field day - Picture By GLORIA SIWISHA

By GLORIA SIWISHA

HAVING a strong agricultural production unit doesn’t just ease the teaching of practical subjects like agriculture; it also helps skills training colleges to contribute significantly to national food security.

Colleges that embrace agriculture in its broadest sense, also remain self-reliant since they are able to generate income from the sale of agro-produce.

With this realization, Chipata Trades Training Institute (CTTI) has ventured into winter maize production.

In June this year, the institute planted vitamin A orange maize on a one Lima field through irrigation farming and expects to harvest between 9,000 and 11,000 fresh cobs of maize this October.

This is because it employed conservation agricultural techniques of minimum soil disturbance and crop residue retention, coupled with good crop management.

In the next production phase, CTTI expects to expand the area of production to 3 hectares.

During the institute’s first ever winter maize field day, Eastern Province permanent secretary Veronica Mwiche commended Chipata Trades Training Institute for highlighting agriculture as a key driver of economic development.

She said Government had started delivering modern equipment; machinery, and hand tools to the training institution in order to improve the teaching and learning environment.

The permanent secretary said this was being done with a view of achieving the much needed development for the province through economic diversification by way of promoting agriculture.

“The Government has also bought a tractor and as soon as we receive the other accessories, they will be delivered to Chipata Trades Training Institute because the institute has shown the willingness to improve productivity as we have all seen,” she said.

The permanent secretary said this in a speech delivered on her behalf by the Chipata district administrative officer Kapembwa Sikazwe.

She urged other cooperating partners to also support the training institution.

At the same event, Chipata District Agricultural Coordinator Phillimon Lungu urged that agriculture be taken seriously since it had the potential to eradicate poverty and eliminate hunger.

“Agriculture is a very important sector in the livelihoods of all Zambians and Chipata in particular, because it employs over 70 percent of the total workforce… either directly or indirectly…and therefore, it is important that we take agriculture seriously in order to contribute significantly to the reduction of poverty and also elimination of hunger in the country,” he said.

Earlier, Chipata Trades Board chairperson Anderson Zulu said the board would endeavor to support sustainable initiatives at all times.

“For us, this field day is so special. This is October, and we are harvesting fresh maize. It is for this reason that we cherish the support that we receive and continue to receive from our cooperating partners, stakeholders, and our hard working members of staff; our desire is to hold an event such as this one regularly,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chipata Trades vice Principal Christopher Zulu observed that general agriculture if given the necessary support, would become the backbone of the institution.

“The institute is offering different courses in engineering; construction, and business studies. General agriculture is one of the courses that we are offering and we feel that if it is well supported, it can become the backbone of Chipata Trades Training Institute,” he said.

Mr Zulu urged farmers, women, and youth cooperatives in the province to venture in winter maize production saying it was more profitable than rain-fed agriculture and could cushion the high mealie meal prices.

“Chipata Trades will be ready to give any technical support to these groups…I believe that technical know-how is very important; you cannot run a cooperative without the necessary skills,” he said.

Mr Zulu also disclosed that the institution was engaged in livestock keeping other than winter maize production.

He said the institution was also in the process of constructing a fish pond since it wanted to participate in fish farming.

“The institute has a piggery which has more than 120 pigs; a poultry which houses more than 600 chickens. We also have started preparing a fish pond since we want to start fish farming…Allow me to mention that during the 2019/2020 farming season, we harvested more than 300 by 50 Kg bags of white maize,” said Mr Zulu.

In the wake of COVID-19, one of the biggest challenges that learning institutions are facing is to sustain themselves especially with regard to providing enough for students in the case of those offering boarding facilities, and also generating income for the smooth running of the institutions.

It is therefore gratifying to see CTTI take practical steps to avoid this problem as it is through such initiatives that sufficient resources are also generated to offset costs, and undertake infrastructural developments of any kind within the learning institutions.