Samuel Mbewe
Community Technology and Development Trust with its cooperating partners have developed a drought resistant sorghum seed.
Speaking to journalist in Chirundu District during the field visit, CTDT seed production and marketing officer Joseph Mwitumwa says the organization working with farmers, Zambia Agriculture Research Institute and Oxfam have developed an early maturing and drought resistant variety of sorghum seed that can thrive in the wake of climate change.
He said the farmers are happy with the new variety of sorghum seed and called on government to ensure that the seed is commercialized.
Mr. Mwitumwa says CTDT and its cooperating partners have already made proposals to government to review the registration polices for the new variety of sorghum seed to be registered.
He said CTDT is concerned with the increased amount of registering a new variety of seed which at USD 2000 which the local farmers cannot manage.
And Julius Mufana a farmer of Kayuni camp in Chirundu district has observed that the new variety of sorghum seed has done exceptionally well despite the dry spell which has hit the area.
Mr. Mufana is one of the farmers at Kayuni Agricultural Camp who has benefited from the drought resistant sorghum seed meaning that he has been spared from the current hunger situation caused by the dry spell in the area.
Meanwhile, Community Technology Development Trust has encouraged farmers to embrace diversification of crops in the wake of drought caused by climate change.
CTDT Assistant Programs Manager Edwin Abwino says it is important that famers grow several crops in the field to avoid loses that may come with the impact of climate change.
He has highlighted that intercropping and having a category of cash crops in a farm enhances diversification and nutrition.
Mr. Abwino further says that cover crops such as cowpeas returns moisture in the field and a farmer can harvest leaves and pods and fulfil nutrition demands at the household level.
He has also urged farmers to embrace the indigenous seed because they are adaptable to the environment and recycled as opposed to hybrid seed.
