Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Dora Siliya warns People abusing FISP and promises cheap Mealie Meal

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Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya during the tour of the solar milling plant in Bauleni
Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya during the tour of the solar
milling plant in Bauleni
Government says it will sternly deal with any officer allegedly abusing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) distribution.

Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya says her office has received recently received disturbing reports that some officers are allegedly diverting and selling inputs as well as embezzling the cash for selfish gains.

Ms. Siliya revealed that her office is for this reason ‘compiling’ a list of the perpetrators before bringing the culprits to book.

The minister sounded the warning in Lusaka yesterday shortly after she inspected the Bauleni Solar mill plant. She said abusers were frustrating the efforts of the government in the provision of incentives to the vulnerable people.

The milling plant put in place by government under the President’s empowerment initiative has enabled the Bauleni Compound community to buy mealie-mill cheaply at K80 and K68 for a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast and roller mill, respectively.

And Government says cheaper mealie-meal is underway in Lusaka and many parts of the country. Ms Siliya who disclosed the development at the same occasion has assured the nation that mealie meal prices would soon reduce to the affordability of most ordinary Zambians.

She said it is regrettable to note that the price of the essential commodity, meali-meal in other parts of the country has exceeded K100 saying this trend would come to an end, soon.

Ms. Siliya also disclosed that government through her ministry has procured a total of 2,000 solar milling plants from China that are being administered by the Zambia Cooperative Federation, ZCF.

Currently 287 installed solar milling plants throughout the country.

And Patrick Mumbi, an employee at the miller disclosed that the miller is producing 40 x 25kgs of meali-meal on a daily basis.

Mumbi says he was among many in the area who are benefiting from the milling plant as he is one of the employees, there.

He said he is happy that government has provided him with a job through the milling plant thereby lessening poverty at his household level.

Meanwhile, Ms. Siliya has reaffirmed that crop diversification is key to transforming the agriculture sector.

She said government means well in diversifying the economy through the participation of the private sector.

On irrigation, Ms. Siliya revealed that government has sourced a US$40 million from the Indian government for irrigation purposes as opposed to depending on rainfall.

Ms. Siliya said government would work closely with the World Bank and other cooperating partners to invest and improve irrigation systems in Zambia.

The Minister said this when she toured the 3.5 hecterage farm in Ibex Hill owned by season commercial farmer and politician Melania Chipungu.

She said government is serious about making the agriculture sector a lucrative business where agro-dealers, suppliers and other players participate in a conducive atmosphere even without State.

She said her ministry would be ‘weaned off’ from participating in agriculture activities.

The Minister of Agriculture today conducted a field visits to millers, agro-depots and at the Ibex farm to familiarize herself.

Ms. Siliya was accompanied by Emma Malambo Director for Policy and Planning and Keziah Kachamba Director for Business and Marketing and
National Agriculture and Information Service (NAIS) deputy director, Mutukelwa Mukelabai.

Other notables included Lusaka Provincial Agricultural Co-ordinator Dr. Lenios Mushimbwe and Lusaka District Agricultural Co-ordinator Dr. Moses Daka.

18 COMMENTS

  1. How can Dora achieve anything when her mind is occupied by her foreign lover who is busting her back doors. She likes them young

    • 40 bags a day is good. 200 x 80 pin = K16,000 or K16m old.
      50% to be stolen, bribes etc.
      20% spoileage.
      20 % expenses
      10% profit
      These solar mills can make money then.

  2. Kikikikiki, ati “The milling plant put in place by government under the President’s empowerment initiative has enabled the Bauleni Compound community to buy mealie-mill cheaply at K80 and K68 for a 25 kilogramme bag of breakfast and roller mill, respectively”…….really? You call K80 and K68 cheap? Bane lets be serious, those prices need to come down to K35 and K25 respectively, that will be cheap.

  3. “She said it is regrettable to note that the price of the essential commodity, meali-meal in other parts of the country has exceeded K100 saying this trend would come to an end, soon.”…..

    More useless PF promises! From 2011 to 2017 mealie meal prices in Zambia have only GONE UP! Does she think we are so stupid to continue believing these LIES!!!?????

  4. The department of agriculture will be “weaned ” off agricultural activities.. Then why have a department of agriculture.
    This is a weird statement from a minister in that portfolio………that means no need for that ministry.

  5. Please ignore the fo0l called NEZ. I am UPND myself and never support such fo0ls who have a limited thinking capacity and end up insulting all the time. Sometimes it is also poor parental guidance in their formative stages.

  6. DORA SILITI was quiet (NDWIIIII) When ARMY WORMS, STALK BORERS were ravaging our crops. When the inputs were delayed, she was mute like a chibulu. Today she wants to be the starring.

    Now that the Married ZAIREAN Kasai, international conman MULABANA has been arrested for fraudulently getting a Zambian NRC & Passport, her big mouth is free to yap.

    It’s too late, just continue with what was more important to you, i.e. 5EX with married small boys.

  7. It is day dreaming to think that prices will ever go down. With armyworms the situation will even be worse .Let this prostitute concentrate on opening her legs for strange boys instead of going around cheating with sperms oozing from her wholesale organ.

  8. The way the United Dunderheads are insulting Ms Siliya is exactly how they insulted Ms Slyvia Masebo when she was in PF some even going as far as targeting her innocent son whom you Dunderheads called all sorts of vile names, what someone does in their personal time is their business- no need to become petty and childish- it only speaks volumes of one’s character when you say such evil as a coward. Many of you are the same ones who give fake smiles and say nice things when meeting people like Dora, I personally I’m not a fan of hers but her performance if she manages to implement the reduction in mealie meal prices and we also see a bumper harvest (as expected) will be judged on those two key areas. She deserves some respect as a human being,

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