CHIKOTE DEMANDS SOLUTIONS FOR LIVESTOCK PRODUCTIVITY

(NAIS) Fisheries and Livestock Minister MAKOZO CHIKOTE has urged staff at the ministry to provide solutions to the current challenges of low productivity in the fisheries and livestock sector.

Mr. CHIKOTE says he will not entertain a business as usual approach towards work and has called for a change of mindset amongst staff to develop the fisheries and livestock sector.

The minister says Zambia should not be a net importer of powdered milk and fish when the country has the necessary capacity and skills to increase production of milk and fish.

He says it is embarrassing for the country to have a per capita milk consumption of 30 liters against 2-hundred liters as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Mr. CHIKOTE was speaking during his continued engagements with his directors and stakeholders implementing various projects and programmes under the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock.

And in her presentation to the minister, Zambia Dairy Transformation Programme Country Manager TANIA THOMSON said more than 80 percent of smallholder dairy farmers in the project area have started taking dairy farming as a business.

Ms. THOMSON said smallholder dairy farmers in Central and Copperbelt provinces have adopted various extension services which have resulted in improved milk quantity and quality.

Meanwhile Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project -ZAEDP- Acting Project Coordinator LIZZEN MOONO said production of fish fingerlings in the country has increased from 57million to 2-hundred and 15 million.

Mr. MOONO said the project has supported construction of 15 hatcheries throughout the country and increased annual fish production to over 45 THOUSAND tones.

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