Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The small holder Agribusiness Promotion Programme (SAPP) has approved grants to four cooperatives in Chikankata district amounting to K154, 000 to improve the farmers’ livelihood.
Chikankata District Marketing Development Officer Kambole Chansa confirmed the development in an interview stating that the beneficiary cooperatives are bata, Katuya, Simutwe and Choolwe that will venture in a livestock service centre, goat production, marketing, and piggery production.
Ms.chansa notes that the core mandate of the Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Programme is to increase quantity and quality of smallholder producers.
Ms. Chansa says the programme will also increase value addition of smallholder produce and increase market access and demand for local smallholder produce.
She has also clarified that SAPP will also improve agribusiness management practices by helping to better link farmers to other stakeholders.
Ms. Chansa explains that the four beneficiary cooperatives have since completed construction of a livestock service centre, goat structures, piggery unit and bulking centre to market their livestock.
Ms.Chansa has since appealed to SAPP to provide the final grants to the cooperatives to be fully fledged in carry out their activities.
She has observed that the 8 year programme was approved the government of Zambia and scheduled to end in 2017.
Ms.Chansa pointed out that the total allocation to the four cooperatives is K250, 000.