Chipangali District Likely To Face Food Insecurity

Small scale farmers within Chipangali District in Eastern Province face the possibility of hunger as a result of selling their entire crop long before it was ready for harvest.  

The crop was sold to traders who invaded the District early in the season.  

Food crops such as maize was sold for as low as K2/kg, with farmers growing cash crops including tobacco and soya beans also enticed to sell their crops for low prices before it was ready to harvest in January and February this year.

The briefcase traders developed an agreement with the farmers which enabled them to buy the crops at low prices.  

Speaking from the District, local farmer Juliet Tembo said that she sympathises with the farmers who are stuck in this predicament due to the lack of money which farmers have for basics including sending their children to school and buying food.

“Yes, some farmers got money from these briefcase buyers even before they start harvesting their crops. It is not their wish, but they do not have money to buy food and send their children to school,’’ Ms. Tembo said.  

The agreement made with the traders has left the farmers with a lack of income towards the end of the farming season.

Chipangali District Agricultural Coordinator Frederick Mwansa mentioned his sadness at the issue which has arisen, with the briefcase buyers profiting from the exercise at the expense of the farmers.

“Even if the crop marketing has been liberalised, farmers should not sell their crops before they even harvest at prices as low as K 2.00 per kilogram way back in January and February. This means that a person who is benefiting is a briefcase buyer at the expense of a farmer,’’ Mr. Mwansa said.

Mwansa has subsequently advised the farmers to wait for the Food Reserve Agency to announce the price of crops before selling them to prevent issues similar to this one from arising again.

Photo: © Mike Mwenda