By 
Former Agriculture Minister, Micheal Katambo, blamed the looming food shortages on ‘faulty’ agriculture policies initiated by the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND).
Katambo claimed during a KBN Television talkshow on Wednesday that the Patriotic Front (PF) in which he served as Minister that the administration left more than 1.5 tonnes of white maize which the current regime reportedly exported without thinking about national reserves.
He said late input distribution in the prior years when the UPND took over had led to the current food dilemma.
“This crisis is beyond climate change, we left more than 1.5 tonnes in reserves which our colleagues exported without thinking about national reserves,” Katambo said.
He also accused the government of not continuing with good agriculture policies initiated by the previous government.
Katambo said in anticipation of climate change, the administration then funded the construction of Muomboshi Dam in Chibombo and Masakashi Dam in Mufulira which he observed would change the lives of the people if the projects were completed.
He urged the UPND government to be sincere by taking the blame rather than criticizing the PF government which maintained food security despite unfavourable conditions.
Katambo claimed that during his reign as Agriculture Minister, the country was faced with ravaging locusts and fall army worms but that the government went ahead to record historical 3.6 million tonnes of white maize.
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