Tuketelemo Beef Production Cooperative in Traditional Authority Kyungu in Karonga District has called for the rehabilitation of the Mbande-Kasikizi Road and a bridge across Kasikizi River to link them with formal markets.
The cooperative’s chairperson Winstone Chihana made the appeal on Wednesday during a monitoring tour which Small Producers Development and Transporters Association (Sprodeta) organised for Karonga District Agriculture Extension Coordinating Committee members to appreciate strides made since the project rolled out.
He said: “The project, which seeks to boost beef production under several interventions, including artificial insemination to improve breeds, is improving beef production.
| Jordan simeon-phiri
“We, therefore, need reliable marketers; hence, the appeal for a passable road and a dip tank.”
In response, Karonga District Agriculture Development Division crops officer Maxwell Lowole said the Reformed K5 billion Constituency Development Fund requires the community to identify development projects and put them in village action plans for consideration.
Karonga District Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (Trade) Programme coordinator Chikondi Kaombe acknowledged that access to road network is a challenge for farmers.
“However, Trade programme is constructing modern infrastructures such as aggregation centres and roads to ensure that farmers are connected to off-takers,” he said.
With a joint funding from International Fund for Agricultural Development and Opec Fund for International Development, Sprodeta is implementing Beef Value Chain project in the district.
Sprodeta field officer Portia Mulungu said the project seeks to increase beef production and productivity to 3 000 beneficiaries in the lakeshore district.
