Traditional seeds at risk, warns Chief

A prominent traditional leader has urged the Zambia’s agricultural research body to take action to preserve indigenous seed varieties across the nation's chiefdoms.

Chief Chamuka of Central Province called upon the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) to establish demonstration plots for indigenous seeds, expressing concern over the declining availability of traditional seed varieties.

Speaking at the Zambia Traditional Seed and Food Festival in Chilanga District, the chief, who serves as Vice Chairperson of the House of Chiefs, emphasised the vital role of traditional seeds in ensuring food security and safeguarding Zambia's cultural heritage.

He explained that unlike hybrid varieties, traditional seeds have naturally adapted to local ecosystems, climate and soil conditions over generations, noting that many farmers are gradually losing access to these ancestral seed varieties.

Meanwhile, Chilanga MP Sipho Hlazo used the occasion to encourage local farmers to begin field preparations ahead of the upcoming planting season.