Economist, Shula, calls for increased agric insurance schemes to cushion impact of weather crisis on farmers

Economist Kampamba Shula has called for increased investments in weather and agriculture insurance schemes to indemnify farmers against bad weather.

Speaking during a 5FM radio discussion programme on Tuesday, Shula stated that farmers on the provision of inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) should be accompanied by insurance packages.

“We need to provide insurance for farmers under FISP so that if there is bad weather farmers compensation,” he said.

Shula said the government should also invest in early warning mechanisms so that food reserves are not tempered with if the predictions show bad weather ahead.

“I like referring to the bible,Joseph in Genesis warned about seven years of dry spell and the Egyptian government started filling the food storages, should be the approach,” he said.

Shula who is a member of the Zambia Debt Alliance said there was a need to study the weather patterns and their life cycle to inform the country about the future.

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