Republican President Hakainde Hichilema has urged Zambeef PLC to provide extension services to small scale farmers around their various farms in order to enable them to engage in farming practices which will see them produce better yields of wheat and maize unlike the current situation.

Speaking during his keynote speech during the Commissioning of the Zambeef PLC Wheat flour plant and launching the 2024 winter maize harvest whole commemorating 30 years of Zambeef in Mpongwe on Thursday, President Hichilema noted that the current 2 tonnes of wheat per hectare being produced on average by small scale farmers is not so impressive adding that there is need for subsistence farmers to consider better farming practices and produce more to ensure absolute food security.

He added that the targeted 10 million tonnes of Maize and 1 million tonnes of Wheat per year can only be achieved if value addition is prioritized in the agricultural sector.

During the event, Zambia National Farmers’ Union-ZNFU President Javes Zimba assured the Republican President that the growing of Maize will not stop even when the country attains surplus as the target audience is also the foreign countries.

And Zambeef PLC Chief Executive Officer Ms Faith Mukutu revealed that Zambeef PLC expects to yield 7 tonnes per hectare and not the usual 2 tonnes per hector, she added that Zambeef PLC is producing yields to ensure they supplement the fight against food insecurity.