Over 11, 390 small scale farmers in Kapiri Mposhi district have had their e-voucher cards activated in order for them to obtain farming inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
This is out of a total of 27, 000 small scale farmers targeted to benefit from FISP in the 2017/2018 farming season in the district.
Kapiri Mposhi District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) Chiluba Wabalika confirmed the development to ZANIS today.
Mr. Chiluba disclosed that 6,915 out of the 11,397 farmers whose e-voucher cards were activated have started accessing farming inputs after government deposited its top-up contribution.
He stated that a total of 11,391 farmers have been issued with authority to deposit the initial K400 for government to top up its contribution.
“The farmers have started getting inputs from the various agro dealers dotted in the district. We are receiving applications on a daily basis to activate the cards,” Mr. Chiluba explained.
And Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Peter Mwiinde has advised farmers in the district to include chemicals on their list of inputs which they are obtaining from agro dealers under the e-voucher system.
Mr. Mwiinde said the chemicals will be used to control army worms in their respective fields.
He disclosed that army worms have been reported in the district hence he urged the farmers to take advantage of the e-voucher system and include chemicals on their lists.
“Farmers now have a choice of what they should include on their list of inputs…. my advice is that they should include at least a bottle of chemicals for army worms,” Mr. Mwiinde said.
11,000 out of 27,000 is less than 50%. Why does someone thinks this is NEWS worthy. This is failure. You should have recorded 100% coverage by November 15.
If these PF thieves wanted a genuine payment platform …they would have opted for a mobile payment system and partnered with the network providers.
Its January.
Failed government system.