State urged to help small scale women farmers

By SITEMBILE SIWAWA

GOVERNMENT has been implored to help boost the farming methods for small-scale women farmers in the country.

In an interview recently, Mitengo Women Association chairperson Melania Chipungu said women farmers were still stuck with old farming methods.

Ms Chipungu said small-scale women farmers still use hoes to farm large tracts of land.

She noted “the last 50 years, a small-scale woman farmer has not done much to contribute to national food security because of the old farming methods she is using.”

Ms Chipungu said women farmers also required modern methods of farming such tractors and irrigation systems; they have the potential to contribute to national food security once empowered with modern equipment.

“Despite the challenges we are having, we are still able to make money and send our children to school and clothe ourselves,” she said.

Meanwhile, East and Southern Africa Small-Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF) national coordinator Simon Mwamba said in a separate interview that the last 50 years, small-scale women farmers have not been adequately attended to. They have been restricted mainly to chicken-rearing.

He said Government needs to initiate programmes of sustainability for women farmers. “There is need to expose women farmers to modern technology and reduce commercialisation of crops,” he lamented.

And Mr Mwamba said Government should also initiate programmes on climate changes as it is also adversely affecting women.