The Participatory Ecological Land-Use Management (PELUM) is urging government not to discontinue with the e-voucher system in the implementation of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) despite the hiccups that were experienced in the previous farming season.
PELUM Country Director Muketoi Wamunyima says government should instead rectify the errors that caused the failure of the system in
some areas, as compared to completely doing away with the system, as advised by some sections of the society.
Mr. Wamunyima said the e-voucher implementation challenges that were faced during the last farming season are not reasons enough for the country to go back to the traditional way of implementing FISP.
He said the e-voucher system has many advantages, which include the promotion of crop diversification, which allows famers to access seed crops of their choice and chemicals from their livestock unlike the traditional FISP which is limited to maize seeds and inputs.
He added that the system should be promoted and strengthened by all Zambians because it reduces on government spending on transporting and storage of inputs, while promoting private sector participation hence the need to ensure that it continues.
Mr. Wamunyima was speaking to ZANIS in an exclusive interview in Lusaka.
The e-voucher system last farming season faced a number of challenges such as late activation of the cards and poor or lack of internet in
some areas among others.
