EMERGENCY WETLANDS CROPPING PROGRAMME LAUDED IN WESTERN PROVINCE
Communities across Western Province have appreciated Government’s innovative Emergency Wetlands Cropping sub programme which is about to be implemented through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services.
The Intervention which will empower 42,500 farmers households in the Province, will focus on utilizing wetlands for agricultural production, thereby ensuring food security, and nutrition, and improving the welfare of the poor and vulnerable amidst the drought situation.
By leveraging the naturally resilient wetland ecosystems, the programme seeks to sustain agricultural productivity even in the face of adverse climatic conditions.
Director for Community Development, Mrs Patricia Muyamwa who is monitoring the enumeration and listing exercise of the Emergency Wetlands Cropping sub-programme and interacted with beneficiaries in Luampa and Lukulu Districts, expressed optimism that once implemented the programme will enhance crop yields, thereby improving both nutritional support and economic stability in communities.
She disclosed that Luampa district, apart from benefiting from the Emergency Wetlands Cropping, will have for the first time the Alternative Livelihood Intervention (ALI) programme to further promote food security.
She said the focus on wetlands, which retain moisture longer than conventional farmland, ensures a more reliable source of water for crops during dry spells.
Mrs Muyamwa further said integrating wetlands into the country’s agricultural strategies, will not only address immediate food security concerns but also promote sustainable farming practices that can withstand future climatic uncertainties while prioritising conservational farming in the longer term.
One of the beneficiary farmers, Mrs Chawa Masako, expressed her gratitude for the timely assistance, admitting that the drought has been devastating, but the emergency programme gives them hope.
During a courtesy call, District Administrative Officer, Mr Patrick Mweemba, acknowledged that the Emergency Wetlands Cropping is a good programme that will undoubtedly transform lives through the promotion of domestic food security in the province.
