Farmers in Tambara ask government for seeds

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Farmers in Tambara ask government for seeds

11:39 CAT | 13 Jan 2017

CoM (file photo)

The governor of the central Mozambican province of Manica, Alberto Mondlane, promised on Thursday that the government weill continue to make seeds available to farmers to increase agricultural production in Tambara district.

Mondlane made the pledge during a visit to the district capital, Nhacolo, where peasant farmers asked him for more seeds to boost heir production this season.

Maria Baute, a spokesperson for farmers who work fields on the south bank of the Zambezi River, said that the population is willing to work the land to produce food, but they face a shortage of seeds. She urged the government to make more seeds available, particularly for grain.

“We are asking for more seeds to increase the areas under cultivation”, she said. “Today we are cultivating one hectare. We want to open more areas, but we need seeds to plant. Other have already received seeds, but we haven’t had anything. We want your support”.

Baute added that the farmers want to take advantage of the plentiful rain that is now falling in the Zambezi valley. “It’s raining a lot”, she said. “We want to sow our crops while it is raining. We don’t know when the rain will stop, and to what extent this will affect production”.

In response, Mondlane said that there are huge agricultural areas in Mozambique, with vast numbers of people working the land. “The government is aware of this concern”, he added, “and it will, as far as possible, make inputs available for peasants, so that the campaign can unfold without major problems”.

“We are helping as much as we can”, he insisted. “You know that the government doesn’t have warehouses full of seeds. We have obtained seeds from other parts of the country, sometimes from outside Mozambique, and we distribute them. The situation in Tambara is not the only one. We are aware of this and we promise you will have seeds as quickly as possible”.

“This shows that you like to work”, said the Governor. “If you are concerned about seeds, it’s because we have decided to do away with hunger. It’s a long process. But we have to bank on work, so that we may have good results in this agricultural campaign to save the people from hunger and consequently fight against poverty”.

“This process is happening throughout the province”, he declared. “We are working to allocate seeds and agricultural equipment to producers. All these efforts by the government are intended to produce more food”.

Source: AIM