Government has called on farmers not to abuse the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) and other food security programmes as they are meant for the farmers’ benefits.
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Sport, Youth and Child Development Minister, Kenneth Chipungu, says farmers should take advantage of such programmes to grow more crops for household and national food security.
Mr. Chipungu, who is also Rufunsa Member of Parliament, was speaking when he officiated at the Bunda-Bunda block agriculture and commercial show in Chinyunyu today.
He said government officials are saddened that a number of small-scale farmers, especially those in rural areas, where selling the agricultural inputs provided to them through programmes such as the FSP and other food security programmes.
Mr. Chipungu said it is also unfortunate that some farmers were selling agricultural inputs in exchange for beer.
He said it is regrettable that such farmers experience a food deficit and end up appealing for relief food from government.
Mr. Chipungu has also asked the farmers not to sell their entire farm produce as there is need to keep enough for domestic consumption.
He however said those wishing to sell their farm produce should sell to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and avoid being swindled by unscrupulous businessmen.
And speaking earlier, Bunda- Bunda Show Society Vice Chairperson, Andrew Daka, lamented that farmers in the area were being exploited by commercial grain buyers.
Mr. Daka called on the FRA to introduce satellite depots in the area so that farmers can sell their crops at a reasonable.
ZANIS
depends on the amount of beer they are exchanging. some people drink red lable and no one comments as long as they can afford
The minister says, villagers shouldn’t use maize to buy beer. The question is what should they use instead?
Nkosi, good question!!
Nkosi good mwana !! If maize is their medium of exchange then there is no problem.You ministers you use cash to buy Desparados because cash is available. Please Minister this is not an issue,find some tangible work to do.
ifi fine fye and come harvest time ati president atu lekelesha tatwakuvotele lol
This sounds like a lot of anti-poor rhetoric to me. We’ve already had the food situation belittled with a ‘people only eat maize because they ‘couldn’t possibly’ eat antyhing else’. Now, farmers are abusing the FSP are buying beer instead?
What is real, and what is bs?
The message in this article is also: the food situation is the farmers’ fault. Forget about the bad infrastructure, obscure pricing mechanisms, high energy costs. We a gave these people fertilizer, now it’s their fault when we don’t have enough food.
It think it is a total abrogation of responsibilities. The government needs to take ownership of the outcome, not make gestures like the FSP.