tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705183461541363969.post8239966660059173458..comments2011-12-10T10:41:41.650ZChola Mukangahttps://profiles.google.com/115873961836009532276noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705183461541363969.post-52154206868267243672011-12-10T10:41:41.650Z2011-12-10T10:41:41.650ZThere are other beneficiaries of the bumper maize harvest. The maize surplus created a beef shortage due to the fact that nobody sold cattle to avert starvation. The beef shortage increased the beef price which increased demand for chickens, goats, pork and eggs. This in turn increased stockfeed requirements which created a soya shortage. Millers are now importing soya and offering forward contracts for farmers to grow soya. <br />I think the huge subsidy of maize production is too expensive and wrong but there are many benefits to it beyond just the growers of maize.<br />One alternative would be providing more employment in towns which would end the low prices which keeps production low.<br />There are many many other cheaper ways to produce a food surplus starting with farmer education and continuing through extension services, crop and livestock diversification, organic and conservation farming, better irrigation methods and so on. Its not impossible, its just often not profitable to produce a cetain item and then people with any business sense don&#39;t. Maize shortages can be caused by bad weather or expensive inputs but are also often caused by low prices. If the price in November is below cost of production only the financially ignorant will plant.R. Hensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705183461541363969.post-77776588819031662182011-12-09T06:50:38.130Z2011-12-09T06:50:38.130ZPreposterous suggestions in the article disregarding the fact these same &#39;disadvantaged rural farmers&#39; went ahead to produce bumper harvests in three consecutive seasons,despite these claims.<br /><br />Give credit where it is due. You can trash what is clearly an unprecedented fit which should be built on by any serious minded regime. Hope they see this than this myopic view.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705183461541363969.post-53021466660246228572011-12-09T02:01:23.412Z2011-12-09T02:01:23.412ZHow about growing more crops that don&#39;t require as much fertiliser and irrigation as maize ? Isn&#39;t that fairly obvious ?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2705183461541363969.post-74713295529654180772011-12-08T22:53:45.321Z2011-12-08T22:53:45.321Zwe are coming as Diamondale Foundation Inc<br />we are starting a project in Kungu Village in Kasama. we will loan fertilizer and provide Tractors to help cultivate the land for the community.<br /><br />check us at www.diamondalefoundation.org<br />at the moment we are based in USAMathews Mutalehttp://www.diamondalefoundation.orgnoreply@blogger.com