Government’s drought response commendable

SINCE declaring drought a national disaster on February 29, 2024, Government has instituted various measures and programmes to mitigate its effects.
Within three weeks of the declaration, President Hakainde Hichilema announced to Parliament that Government would re-align the 2024 national budget and divert financial resources from consumption areas to relief food for affected people and investment in water-harvesting and irrigation programmes to ensure all-year farming.
He further announced that Government had continued to construct dams and irrigation infrastructure across the country.
A week prior to the President’s address to Parliament, the country launched the planting of irrigated maize at Zambia National Service (ZNS) farms in Kafue as part of the its efforts to mitigate the effects of drought.
Launching the programme, Defence Minister Ambrose Lufuma disclosed that ZNS was planning to plant about 1,978 hectares of maize by July this year.
And on March 20, President Hichilema launched early harvesting of maize and commencement of the winter maize planting season in Mkushi, where he encouraged farmers – both commercial and small-scale – to embark on winter maize production.
Government’s drought response measures have also involved relief maize distribution to affected districts by Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU).
Currently, relief maize distribution is under way in Eastern, Central, Copperbelt, Lusaka, Southern, Western, and North-Western provinces.
Indeed, Government has demonstrated exemplary leadership and foresight in tackling this pressing issue. Its swift and comprehensive response has brought hope to many, and for this, we commend it.
Yesterday, DMMU national coordinator Gabriel Pollen announced that Government has embarked on a country-wide irrigation facility targeting about 11,000 farmers to cultivate winter and early-maturing maize as part of its response to the drought disaster and emergency and as a way of building resilience to counter future shocks and ensure national food security.
The planned establishment of this irrigation facility, set to enable over 11,000 households to cultivate winter and early-maturing maize, is a bold initiative that will not only address the immediate concerns of food security but also pave way for long-term sustainable food production.
Empowering our farmers with such initiatives that enable them to adapt to climate change will ensure a resilient agricultural sector that can weather future challenges.
As Dr Pollen revealed, the programme will not just involve the rehabilitation of existing non-functional water boreholes and dams and the construction of new ones, but will involve credit facilities to support more productive agricultural initiatives.
This proactive approach demonstrates Government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizens. This irrigation project creates a safety net for our most vulnerable communities, shielding them from the devastating effects of drought.
We can only applaud Government for its visionary leadership and dedication to the well-being of our nation.
As we face the challenges occasioned by climate change, it is reassuring to know that our leaders are proactive and dedicated to the prosperity of our people.
As we welcome this initiative, we call on our citizens to embrace and support it. We urge the beneficiaries of this programme to safeguard whatever infrastructure may come under their care in order to ensure sustainability and continuity.
Together, we can rise above the effects of drought and ensure food security for all Zambians.