The Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) has claimed that public spending on the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) and the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) has had little effect on poverty reduction and raising productivity rates in the country.
IAPRI Outreach Director Ballard Zulu says no country has made the transition out of poverty without boosting levels of agricultural productivity.
Mr Zulu observed that though Zambia has made some progress in this respect, the evidence shows that despite achieving annual growth rates of more than six percent in agriculture, crop yields remain low by international standards and rural poverty rates remain stubbornly high at about 80 percent.
In a press release to ZANIS in Lusaka today, Mr Zulu charged that the current agricultural policies are not doing enough to prioritise measures that will achieve productivity and reduce poverty especially among rural populations in the country.
He noted that a significant proportion of the poverty reduction strategy portion of the agriculture budget is being spent on FISP and FRA which he said has not proved effective at boosting productivity.
He further charged that government expenditure through FRA and FISP has been benefiting larger and relatively well-off households hence, limiting poverty reduction in rural areas.
Mr Zulu added that research has also shown that while FISP improves maize yields, the level is very low and not commercially and sustainably viable.
He stressed that productivity under FISP, can be improved by better targeting the poor farmers who are not currently benefiting from the subsidy, through ensuring that the fertiliser is delivered on time and farmers are given greater choice of fertiliser.
Mr Zulu further contended that through FISP, the government was investing heavily in Compound D fertiliser which is not suitable to larger parts of Zambia where the soils are acidic.
Mr Zulu has recommended that resources from major public expenditure on smallholder farmers in the form of FISP and FRA be redirected and invested into more productive areas.
The Indaba Research Institute has since called for a stronger focus on sustainable productivity that enhances farming practices such as conservation farming which has the potential of boosting productivity.
Mr Zulu however welcomed the decision to introduce an e-voucher saying this will improve the way FISP operates.
He added that a flexible e-voucher would even be more effective as it would give farmers wider options of purchasing productivity enhancing inputs of their choice.
improving productivity is not the major focus of FISP but rather increasing production. but wait a minute how will targeting poor farmers under FISP improve productivity????
Is this the same Ballard Zulu who sang ndiyo zantwilo? Anyway good observation
Americans are not happy to see Zambia become food self sufficient. Remember the debate on GMO maize? Unfortunately some of our educated people have been duped into being their disciples. I always ask a question as to which is better, importing food or subsidizing inputs to enable farmers be food self-sufficient?
‘Crop yields remain low by international standards and rural poverty remains stubbornly high at about 80% ‘ but doesn’t Zambia the one always exporting maize to these neighbouring countries? On rural poverty I think it is correct!
The whole thing & it’s solutions are way out of order. FISP has been supporting the same people for the last 5 or more years. Minimum should be assisting for only a year & maize should be collected in exchange. FRA is even worse, a bag of maize bought in Lundazi, Eastern Province ends up costing the government close to K115/50kg bag, sell it to millers for K77/50kg bag, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it is wrong. The e-voucher system does not work, huge challenges in areas where internet network is a problem & easily corruptable, I can easily give any other goods as a shopkeeper in place of farming inputs, goods more profitable. Can’t make decisions sitting in a cushy office.
Pliz give us a break. Zambia has been exporting both maize and mealie meal. Most of this maize is grown by rural farmers. Also huge quantities is lost through poor storage, Ba Balad, is it just a question of submiting a report to the funders?