Scottish Catholic Observer

Mr Yousaf, the Scottish Government’s External Affairs and International Development Minister, visited the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund’s Kulima Programme in Lusaka, Zambia this week. The programme is working through the local Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre (KATC) to help 1350 small-holder farmers improve food production, and the amount of food they produce for their family, by using organic methods.

The visit comes at the end of a week-long visit to Malawi and Zambia, in which Mr Yousaf welcomed the arrival of the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton, Government Ministers and visited Scottish Government funded development projects in both countries.

“Visiting farms involved with the Kulima programme and talking to farmers made it clear what a different the programme is already making since we first partnered with SCIAF and KATC in 2008,” Mr Yousaf said. “The project aims to increase yields so farmers have enough to feed themselves and their families, changing people’s lives for the better and helping people to help themselves. It’s a great example of the sort of project the Scottish Government is proud to support.”

The Scottish Government has awarded SCIAF a total of £2.7 million from the International Development Fund to deliver two projects in Zambia aimed at helping farmers increase food production between 2008 and 2015. The minister said he believed his visit had ‘cemented the strong and important relationship’ between Scotland and Zambia but believed more progress could be made.

Stephen Martin, SCIAF’s programme officer with responsibility for the Kulima programme, said the charity’s work there was vital.

— [email protected]

— http://www.sciaf.org.uk/

— In next week’s SCO, Humza Yousaf’s first hand account of his trip.

—This story ran in full in the January 31 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.