138, 244 small scale farmers in Southern province have deposited their K400 contributions towards the 2021/2022 farming season under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Southern Province Agricultural Coordinator Max Choombe confirms the development in an interview that a total sum of K55, 297, 600 has been deposited in various commercial banks that have been selected in the programme.
Dr Choombe says Southern Province is targeting a total of 160,103 smallholder farmers as beneficiaries under FISP.
“ Livingstone and Siavonga have since made a 100 per cent deposits by smallholder farmers who have been targeted to benefit from the programme, “ said the Regional Agriculture Coordinator.
He explained that the deposits currently made by farmers represent 86 per cent from the total number of farmers targeted under the programme during the 2021/2022 farming season.
Kazungula district is the least in terms of number of farmers that have made deposits from the 13 districts in the province namely, Livingstone, Zimba, and Kalomo.
Others are Choma, Sinazongwe, Monze, Namwala, Gwembe, Mazabuka, Chikankata, Siavonga, and Kazungula.
Dr. Choombe appealed to all districts that have not reached 100 per cent in ensuring that deposits are made under the FISP programme to do so expeditiously.
The FISP program was introduced in 2009/10 farming season and was transformed from the Farmer Support Program (FSP).
During the transformation the number of inputs per household reduced by half from eight (8) 50Kg bags of fertilizer to four (4) 50kg bags per household.
THIS FISP IS GROSSLY ABUSED BY A LOT OF FARMERS WHO SELL OFF THEIR ALLOCATION
TIGHTER CONTROLS ARE NEEDED
Father Christmas, BALLY, promised to increase the allocation, hike the floor maize price to above K200/50Kg bag sold to FRA and reduce fertiliser from 800 to 250 Kwacha. A very ambitious proposition.
Fisp is making people lazy. This programme should be scrapped off although in stages so that farmers are gradually weaned off and learn to stand on their own feet.
@Razor #3. Be rest assured that FISP is not fading any time soon. This is not the first time we have real capitalism in govt. MMD used it as much as Socialist Kenneth Ka.unda did utilise it.
Most small scale farmers including chiefs enjoy farmer support. It cements relationship between party in grz and mostly rural dwellers. Energise NCZ and Zamseed to actuallse this.
Dora Si.liya tried weaning off farmers, but failed. Please, just monitor it to scrap off ghost famers.