CHIFUNABULI RECORDS RISE IN RICE FARMING THANKS TO MOREDEP
By JONAS MISELO

CHIFUNABULI District in Luapula province has recorded a remarkable increase in the number of rice farmers, following targeted interventions by the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through the Market-Oriented Rice Development Project (MOREDEP).

According to Chifunabuli Town Council Chairperson Charles Mulenga, the district previously had only 300 rice farmers. Today, that number has grown to over 1,300, an achievement he attributes to the project’s efforts in promoting sustainable and profitable rice farming.

“We are so thankful to government as well as MoReDeP that have come on board to support our rice farmers. Allow me to mention that at the time the project started, we only had 300 farmers, but now we have more than 1,350 farmers, meaning that the project has enhanced the skills of our farmers and they have accepted and welcomed these interventions because they are improving their livelihoods,” Mr. Mulenga said.

“Because of the MoReDeP project, farmers in Chifunabuli have a rice farmers’ association called the Chifunabuli Rice Farmers Association, which is working together with JICA to train farmers, market the product, as well as look for seed,” he added.

He further revealed that the association offers training in best agricultural practices and helps farmers connect to reliable markets.

Mr Mulenga praised the collaboration between the government and cooperating partners, stating that such joint efforts are vital to improving livelihoods and spurring economic growth in the district.

These developments were highlighted during a rice field day held under the theme “Promoting Crop Diversification Amidst Climate Change” in Lubwe II Agricultural Camp.

Addressing participants at the event, Mr. Mulenga commended the commitment shown by local farmers to diversify their crop production and adopt rice farming as a climate-resilient livelihood option.

Meanwhile, Juri Sakai, a rice expert from MoReDeP, encouraged farmers to remain dedicated to producing high-quality rice that meets both local and international market standards.

“As long as you continue to produce high-quality rice, we are sure that you will continue to get good profit and you are going to improve your livelihood,” he said.

The farmers themselves echoed the praise, expressing gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture and MoReDeP for their continued technical and material support in improving rice yields in the area.

Grace Bbala, a female farmer under Lubwe II Agricultural Camp, said MoReDeP has been instrumental in her growth as a farmer.

“I have discovered that rice farming is different from crops like maize, groundnuts, or cassava. I have found rice farming to be more profitable and climate-resilient than the other crops, which helps me out as a farmer,” Ms Bbala said.

She has since advised farmers who are not yet involved in rice farming to give it a try, noting that it is less demanding in terms of inputs like fertilizer. With a ready market, she has managed to take her children to school and purchase valuable household items.

Market-Oriented Rice Development Project (MoReDeP) is a project jointly implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture of Zambia (MoA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with the objective of promoting rice cultivation as a cash crop in Zambia. It is expected to contribute to increasing domestic rice production and support the government’s policy on crop diversification.-NAIS