Beneficiary farmers under the government sponsored Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) have been warned against re-selling farming inputs provided to them under the initiative.
Chisamba Member of Parliament Moses Muteteka says re-selling farming inputs would defeat the objectives of the programme aimed at availing farming inputs to vulnerable but viable farmers.
Mr. Muteteka told ZANIS in an interview that abuse of such a facility would perpetuate both household and national food insecurity.
The lawmaker warned that anyone found re-selling the farming inputs would face the wrath of the law.
He said the farming inputs being channeled through cooperatives to beneficiary farmers must be handled in an accountable and transparent manner for the benefit of the intended farmers and the nation at large.
Mr. Muteteka said it would not do for some unscrupulous individuals to seek to access the agricultural inputs under the FSP at the expense of the intended beneficiary farmers.
The legislature explained that beneficiaries to the programme must be small-scale farmers belonging to a registered cooperative or farmer group who must be vulnerable but viable farmers.
Mr. Muteteka pointed out that if the FSP is handled prudently, household and national food insecurity would be a thing of the past.
Previously there has been reports of some malpractices happening in the programme where some beneficiaries have allegedly sold the inputs instead of using them in their fields.
And Mansa district of Luapula Province has started receiving farming inputs in readiness for the 2008/2009 farming season.
District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO), Musako Chimuka, confirmed to ZANIS that the district has already received 10,441 and 5,553 by 50 kg bags of Urea and D-compound respectively.
Dr Musako said the district had been allocated 24,000 by 50 kg bags of both Urea and D-compound and would receive the remaining amount this week.
She said Nyiombo Investment, the contractor engaged to transport the inputs, was experiencing problems to deliver the fetilizers on time.
Dr. Musako said the district has also received the whole amount of the allocated 6000 by 10 KG bags of seed varieties.
“We have received part of the fertilizers and we expect to receive the remainder this week but we have received all the 6000 by 10kg bags of seed allocation, and we have since commenced giving the inputs to farmers,” Dr. Musako said.
She said the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MACO) has already started giving the inputs at a K50,000 subsidized price and will this year support 3000 farmers in the district.
Also small scale farmers in Solwezi District have started accessing agricultural inputs under the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP) for 2008-2009 farming season.
District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO), Kabwe Puta , told ZANIS in Solwezi today that 2,400 farmers are to benefit from the programme, adding that the inputs will only be accessed through cooperatives or farm groups.
Dr. Puta said the district has received 49 metric tonnes of maize seed and three quarters of the expected 960 metric tonnes of fertilizer and the remaining is expected before the end of this week.
He commended government for sending the inputs in time and for increasing the number of beneficiaries from last season’s 1,500 to 2,400 this season, saying this will increase production and food security at household level.
Dr Puta urged farmers to use the inputs for the intended purpose and not to frustrate government’s efforts by re-selling it.
ENDS/AH/AM/ZANIS
namba 1
Number 2
i agree with MUT 1 peharps lets findout from RB about coperatives he was NAMBORD chief.
Puta liar this fertilizer is just going to your farm too i will keep checking on you especially that area i know watch out
Having been in the Fert industry, that cannot be avoided. It is happenning on a graeter scale. Probe Omnia Fert…how does it get its tenders? There is a lot of money exchanging hands. No zambian company has distributed fertizer since the inception of FSP. Anti-corruption that is food for thot.
Everything that does not cost (painfully) will always be abused, so not surprising there.
empower the pipo and things like that would be of the past otherwise you cant fault them for re-selling the fertiliser as a means to put food on the table