39 farmers out of 147 who processed applications under the seasonal cropping component have been awarded loans under the Sustainable Agriculture Financing Facility (SAFF) component in Nalolo District of Western Province.
Acting Nalolo District Agriculture Coordinator, Patience Munalula disclosed that the district received more than 200 applications and only managed to process 147 under the cropping facility.
Ms Munalula says the remaining applications will be processed in the other farming components that the banks are not yet offering.
ZANIS reports that the DC was speaking when he held a meeting with the Heads of Government Departments today.
“The 39 successful farmers have since redeemed their inputs from the registered agro-dealers,” she said.
Ms Munalula also disclosed that the district has received 28 boxes of chemicals to treat armyworms that affected some fields.
“As a district, we have received chemicals to control the armyworms and soon officers from our department will be trained on how to control the pests so they in turn go and sensitise the farmers,” she said.
Ms Munalula said the department wanted farmers to be able to manage the armyworms on their own so that chemical control was the last option.
Speaking earlier, Acting Nalolo District Administrative Officer, Obby Kashweka called on civil servants in the district to ensure that they hold regular meetings to share the activities happening in their various departments.
Mr Kashweka said it was important for HODs to meet and share experiences on the various government programmes that were being implemented in the area.
He pointed out that regular meetings help in the coordination of programmes.
“We should find time to sit together and inform each other on the activities that are taking place in our departments. We want to know what is happening in Agriculture, Health, Police, DMMU and so forth,” Mr Kashweka said.