Agricultural and Extension Services (Agritex) Acting Director for Field Services Joseph Gondo said on Tuesday that a shortage of seeds was affecting programmes that the department had lined up this planting season.

"We are waiting for seeds to be available on the market to kick-start programmes put in place for this season," he said, adding that there was an urgent need to support the programme as it was critical in ensuring food security in the country.

"Small grains, which include millet and sorghum, act as supplements in situations of maize deficits," he said.

Gondo said it was important that the programme ran concurrently with the one for maize that the government was implementing.

Calls have been made to fully support production of small grains since the crops do well in hot areas and are not susceptible to diseases.

Government has taken a number of steps to increase maize production this season to avoid imports. These included providing companies that manufacture agricultural inputs with foreign currency to purchase raw materials as well as distributing necessary agricultural equipment to farmers.

A committee established to mobilise and monitor the utilisation of inputs has begun distributing these throughout the country. The government has targeted putting 500,000 hectares under maize this farming season.

Article published courtesy of BuaNews

[9 Oct 2008 06:15]

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