1,000 SORGHUM FARMERS GET SUPPORT

BUUMBA CHIMBULU writes@SunZambianABOUT 1,000 sorghum smallholder farmers in Gwembe and Pemba Districts will be supported following a partnership between Zambian Breweries and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).WFP Zambia looks forward to embark in this partnership with Zambian Breweries over this innovative project, says WFP Country Rep-resentative, Jennifer Bitonde.Ms Bitonde said in a statement that as part of its smallholder support interventions, WFP had been promoting the adoption of climate tol-erant crops like sorghum to strengthen smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate shocks.She said the partnership with Zambian Breweries would provide a ready market for their sorghum production.Under this partnership, Zambian Breweries and WFP will help smallholder farmers access high-yielding sorghum seeds, provide training on sorghum crop management and facilitate access to insurance to protect their crops from climate shocks, agricultural extension services and markets.Additionally, smallholder farmers will receive training in conservation agriculture, post-harvest loss management, commodity aggregation and financial literacy.According to the statement, this set of interventions will contribute to enhancing the production and productivity of smallholder farmers, while increasing their opportunities to sell their produce through the reliable market provided by Zambian Breweries.This will ultimately improve their incomes, while contributing to improved food security in the country.“Smart agriculture is a key component of our sustainability goals and our dream to create a Better World, so our partnership with WFP makes perfect sense as we work together to provide support and markets for small-scale farmers, who are a virtual part of our supply chain,” Zambian Breweries Country Director, Jose Moran, said.The brewing company has already started buying sorghum from smallholder farmers in Zimba, with over 350 transactions made and 450 tons of sorghum bought from the smallholders so far in August, showing a model that works.“It is exciting for us as Zambian Breweries to note that we are making strides towards achieving our goal on smart agriculture set by our parent company – AB InBev.“Our target is to have 100 per cent of our direct farmers skilled, connected, and financially empowered in the next five years,” Mr Moran noted. The Sun