First Lady Thandiwe Banda has said Conservation Agriculture Programme will ease the pressure that Government faces in implementing activities aimed at supporting small-scale farmers in the country.

The first lady was speaking at the launch of Conservation Agriculture Scaling-up Programme of the Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture in Kalaba area in Mansa District.

She said the launch of conservation agriculture was important as it would ensure food security in the wake of climate change and rise in the food prices.

The first lady noted that Luapula Province was endowed with vast agriculture potentials which should be explored.

"During my tour in the province, I have seen the vast agriculture potential here," she said.

She commended FAO, for extending the programme to Luapula, the Norwegian government and European Union for their support to the Conservation Agriculture Programme.

She said this would go along way in helping families shaken by food insecurity.

Ms Banda said conservation agriculture was ideal for Mansa in particular, as it was one of the districts in the province which is not gifted in fishing.

The first lady also called on women farmers to get on board and embrace conservation agriculture.

She said she was convinced that many households had been surviving on the food grown by women, hence the need to support them in the conservation agriculture.

Mrs Banda said unlike the fishing industry which has been dominated by men, it was her hope that farming will encompass both men and women.

The first lady noted that women's contribution to food production had not been valued.

She, therefore, challenged women farmers to utilise conservation agriculture and apply the simple farming methods they will be trained in under the programme so that their contribution to food production is noticed.

And FAO representative Noureddin Mona said his organisation will continue to support farmers through the Ministry of Agriculture to improve the livelihoods of the poor farmers in rural areas.

"Farmers in rural areas face challenges of the climate change hence the need to support them" he said.

Dr Mona discouraged the Chitemene traditional farming of slash and burn which is widely practised in the province and described it as disaster to the environment.

Zanis