The Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) has urged farmers to take training in Smart Agriculture very seriously as farming is a business.

Speaking to ZANIS, ZNFU Eastern Region Coordinator, Virgil Malambo said there is need for farmers to embrace smart agricultural practices to ensure food security at both household and national level in the face of climate change.

Mr. Malambo observed that some farmers, despite having knowledge on smart agriculture, were still practicing Conventional way of farming.

He advised that for farming to be productive, there was a need for farmers to actualise what they learn in training from seed resilience to good farming practices in order for their crops to survive prolonged dry spells.

And Mr. Malambo who is also Chipata District Farmers Association Coordinator has urged farmers to consider insuring their crop fields against adverse effects of climate change.

He said insurance cover on crops would enable farmers to get compensation in an event that crop failure is experienced.

Meanwhile, a 99-year-old former freedom fighter has appealed to the government and the banks to consider exercising some leniency in dealing with farmers that got loan facilities and invested in agricultural production.

Laphan Phiri who is also chairman for Zambia Independence Freedom Fighters Association (ZIFFA) Eastern Province, has appealed to the government to allow farmers who would experience crop failure to be allowed to pay back their loans in the next farming season.

Mr. Phiri made the appeal today during a walk-in interview with ZANIS.

A number of farmers in the province have been affected by a prolonged drought leading to most of their crops drying up.