CHALI MULENGA Livingstone. Zambia Congress of Trade Unions President, Blake Mulala has applauded the government's decisive action in promoting food security and providing workers with passive income through an agriculture loan facility.
Mr Mulala expressed his approval, emphasizing that the initiative, facilitated through the Ministry of Agriculture, would play a crucial role in controlling the cost of living by ensuring access to the staple food, mealie meal.
"The program would ensure that people have some form of passive income which, in turn, contributes to household food security through agricultural practices," Mulala remarked, highlighting the potential for workers to engage in farming during their leave periods.
He in an interview stressed the positive impact on reducing the demand for mealie meal, ultimately leading to a potential decrease in its cost.
Mr Mulala argued that engaging workers in agriculture was a more sustainable solution compared to the pursuit of white-collar jobs, as it not only provides additional income but also contributes to overall food security.
"I commend the government's decision to empower workers by providing input packs. I anticipate a boost in maize production and a subsequent reduction in mealie meal prices."
Mr Mulala went on to praise the affordability of the agriculture loan facility, saying, "The range from K10,000 to K70,000 will enable workers to access financing for cultivating one to five hectares of land."
The loan facility is part of the Comprehensive Agriculture Transformation Support Programme (CATSP), which aims to produce 10 million metric tons of maize and 1 million metric tons of soybeans by 2027. Additionally, CATSP is set to produce up to 1 million tons of wheat, addressing food and nutrition insecurity in Zambia.
Mr Mulala urged workers to make good use of the maize pack loan and expressed optimism that the initiative would strengthen the country's dependence on maize, subsequently leading to increased production and availability of the crop.
He emphasized the importance of such empowerment measures for workers and acknowledged the government's timely decision in this regard.
Mr Mulala stated, said he encouraged workers interested in agricultural financing to take advantage of the facility, considering it a positive development for the entire country.
He urged workers to use the loans responsibly and contribute to the success of the Sustainable Agricultural Financing Facility (SAFE) aimed at supporting small and medium-scale farmers in Zambia.
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