Farmers in Ndola rural have expressed disappointment over government’s decision to reduce the pack for farming inputs, under the Fertilizer Support Programme (FSP),by half.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Ndola today, one of the farmers, Jonathan Mulindi, said the reduction in the allocation of the inputs will lead to perpetual hunger in rural areas because very few small scale farmers can afford the current market price of fertilizer.
Mr Mulindi added that government should also stop expecting any more bumper harvests in the country as most farmers will not afford fertilizer,a vital commodity for maize production.
He observed that with the two bags of Urea, two bags of Compound D and a 10 kg bag of seed, farmers will be able to cultivate only 2 limas on which yields would not be enough even for domestic consumption in view of the large extended family system existing in the rural areas.
He observed that farmers will also become poorer as farming, which is their main source of income, will be unsustainable.
Mr Mulindi appealed to government to either rescind the decision to reduce the pack or reduce the market price for fertilizer to at least K150,000 to enable more farmers afford the commodity.
He observed that if government does not intervene in the pricing of fertilizer on the market, the agricultural sector will not improve despite its efforts aimed at improving farming.
Mr Mulindi observed that even the commercial farmers engaged in maize cultivation will be discouraged as the maize business will be unprofitable, and that will threaten food security in the country.
Yesterday, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Daniel Kalenga announced that government has reduced the pack for farming inputs under the FSP from eight bags of fertilizer and a 10kg pocket of seed to four bags of fertilizer and a 10kg pocket of seed.
ZANIS
This could be the effect of the global economic crisis hitting our agriculture sector.
Is that even possible for poverty to be worse than it is now?
I fill sorry to our farmers, can someone tell me whats happening to this government sure, I think lets all support this motion of impeachment. Nyamasoya has failed to deliver. God save Zambia.
MMD , why are you recinding your promise you made during campaigns? You promised villagers free fertilizer , please give them free fertilizer. You see you villagers, vote wisely next time. Dont listen to them in 2011 when again they will be making false promises. THESE MMD GUYS ARE VAMPIRES watch them carefully.
In fact, I do not support the system of free fertilisers and inputs under MACO because it does not make ecoomic sense. If such type of farmers were put under the oversight of community and social welfare ministry, then I agree. MACO should change that approach of using the useless FRA to import inputs for distribution to peasant farmers because all it does is not promoting Zambian industries. Instead, if MACO concentarted on commercial farmers while letting community services taking care of Ndola rural farmers, Zambia would have been a food basket.
Twacula fwebena Zambia, twacula mwebantu.