GIZ donate bicycles to farmers

Mwense, The German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ has donated bicycles to 96 Small scale farmers in Mwense District of Luapula province.GIZ Luapula Regional Food and Nutrition Security Enhanced Resilience (FANSER) Project Coordinator, Hendrick Hoffman said the bicycles are meant to facilitate the movements of lead and senior lead farmers as they train other farmers on nutritious crops such as the production of cow peas.“The FANSER Project is one of the programmes we are supporting aimed at improving the nutritious standards in the district and these bicycles are meant to facilitate the movements of lead and senior lead farmers as they train other farmers on nutritious crops such cow peas production,” said Mr. Hoffman.And Acting District Agriculture Coordinator Isaac Mupeta said the bicycles will go a long way in helping the lead farmers reach out to other farmers and train them on the importance of cultivating nutritious cropsMr. Mupeta said the stunting levels in Mwense district are as high as 47 percent but that GIZ will support and facilitate the education of farmers to adopt farming mechanisms which will ultimately help to reduce stunting levels.“Currently the stunting levels in Mwense are at 47 percent. So with the support from GIZ as a department we want to reduce these levels further if attainable to zero percent,” Mr Mupeta said.And Acting Mwense District Commissioner Benson Matipa thanked GIZ for the gesture and implored the department of agriculture to ensure that the bicycles be used for the intended purpose.“These bicycles are not for transporting charcoal. I am instructing you Mr DACO to withdraw the bicycles from those who will be found misusing them,” he cautioned. – ZANIS The Sun