Peasant Farmers Express Concern Over Planting for Food and Jobs Phase Two

The Peasant Farmers Association has raised serious concerns regarding the government’s Phase Two of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, expressing a loss of confidence in its efficacy. President Charles Nyaaba highlighted that the program has failed to yield any discernible benefits for farmers, asserting that political maneuvers have overshadowed genuine agricultural progress.

Reflecting on the past year and the outlook for smallholder farmers, Nyaaba emphasized the urgent need for the government to transcend political posturing and address the actual needs of farmers. Despite a slight improvement in yields compared to previous years, farmers struggled to sell their produce at viable prices due to a lack of market access.

Nyaaba underscored that this unfavorable situation might prompt some farmers, notably those in the rice sector, to downsize their cultivation or explore other crops unless the government implements policies to facilitate reduced-cost access to crucial farming inputs and tools.

The President of the Peasant Farmers Association firmly insisted on the imperative for a revamped approach to the acclaimed Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, advocating for a fundamental shift in strategy to better support the agricultural sector.