700 vulnerable but viable Small-Scale Farmers in Mwansabombwe District in Luapula province will benefit from the Food Security Pack (FSP) Programme, being implemented by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.

District Assistant Community Development Officer Mark Chiyota said a sensitisation meeting to identify potential beneficiaries has already been conducted.

He noted that the development has been necessitated to supplement farmers with inputs especially in areas which has been hardly hit by droughts and prolonged dry spells.

Mr. Chiyota says areas with availability of water, has been identified for winter farming and that out of the 700 identified farmers, 350 farmers will be engaged into vegetable cultivation while the other 350 farmers will do winter maize cultivation.

He further explained that only those farmers who can manage to do winter farming and have land will be considered to benefit from the programme.

Mr. Chiyota said so far a total of 824 potential beneficiaries have been identified from seven Community Welfare Assistant Committees (CWACs) but that only 700 will be picked to implement the programme.

He said the district has a number of water bodies from which wetland farming can be practiced and is optimistic that the farmers to be considered will be able to successfully implement the activity.

Mr Chiyota added that winter farming is beneficial compared to rainfed crops and encouraged farmers who will be considered not to misuse the inputs.