Chikankata District Council Chairperson Conrad Ngoma says he supports government’s recent move to phase out long standing beneficiaries of the Fertilizer Support Programme (FISP) so that others farmers could benefit from the scheme.
Mr Ngoma says government’s announcement that it will during the year 2019 national budget phase out some of the farmers under the FISP, is a welcome development.
The Council Chairperson said the intentions of the Fertilizer support programme (FISP) by government is aimed at allowing more farmers to benefit from the scheme.
“ After a while under FISP, established farmers should be phased off so that other vulnerable Small Scale Farmers can be able to benefit as well, “ he said.
Mr. Ngoma said the fertilizer support programme is well intended except that it is being abused by selfish individuals who are making the programme a failure especially during the 2017-2018 farming season.
Govt recently announced its intentions to phase out farmers who have benefited from its FISP programme so that others could benefit as well.
And some Small Scale farmers in Mapangazya area in Chikankata district in Southern province have praised the Ministry of Agriculture officials in the district for activating some of the farmer’s e-voucher cards for the farmers.
Mr. Henry Chisapi , a farmer in Nanduba area, also praised government through Twalibanji Agro Dealer to supply Mapangazya farmers with farming inputs under the E-Voucher system.
Mr. Chisapi, said farmers from Nanduba and Mapangazya have finally started receiving their farming inputs after their respective E-Voucher cards were activated.
He further urged the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that all the farmers’ country wide access the farming inputs before the end of January if the nation is going to realize the bumper harvest during the 2017-2018 crop marketing season.
And Mr. Chisapi has further stressed that the law enforcement agencies should arrest anyone involved in illegal dealings during the 2017-2018 e-Voucher activation process.
Mr. Chisapi disclosed that it is unfortunate that some people involved in handling the FISP programme are involved in illegal activities aimed at enriching themselves at the expense of poor farmers.
Great Move
FISP is an input support programne, it is not the States duty to give out free fertiliser till infinity.
Farmers are given 3 years to get onto their feet. Thereafter they graduate off the subsidy and make place for new farmers coming onto the system.
Perpetual free inputs just creates laziness and inefficiency.
Mr Ngoma has, in pure government fashion, whitewashed the fact that his district is under a severe drought.
It last rained 19 days ago(26 December 2017). Most of the South, Lusaka, parts of Central and Eastern are affected.
Let him not promise a bumper harvest, rather let him say… If God so Wills, we will have a bumper harvest.
Has he not heard governments call for a week for help against cholera AND rains to resume ?
Government must continue with this programme because results can be seen with a bumper harvest recorded in years…Farming is also a passion if you remove those involved in farming and give it to those who cannot do it this country cry… It’s better to subsidise farming where results can be seen than diverting this money where impact won’t be seen or felt.
It’s a good move to remove those who have been on the program longer in order to support other farmers, at least farmers must also be able to support themselves after a while.