Peasant Farmers Association raises concerns with phase two of Planting For Food and Jobs

The Peasant Farmers Association says it has lost confidence in the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs Phase Two program. According to the Association, the program has not been beneficial to farmers in any way.

Giving an overview of last year and the prospects of this year so far as smallholder farmers are concerned, President of the Peasant Farmers Association, Charles Nyaaba said, the government must stop playing politics with the agricultural sector.

Mr. Nyaaba said even though the yields last year were better than the previous year, farmers had to sell below their cost of production due to lack of market.

Mr. Nyaaba said the experience from last year may compel some farmers, particularly rice farmers to reduce their farm sizes this year or to venture into cultivation of different crops unless the government intervenes with policies or measures that will enable the farmers to get farm inputs and implements at reduced prices.

Mr. Nyaaba insists that for the much-touted Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, a new approach must be adopted.