The National Union For Small Scale Farmers In Zambia (NUSFAZ) has described the decision by the government to remove some legumes from the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) as a disaster.
NUSFAZ Executive Director Ebony Loloji says small scale farmers have been denied an opportunity to create income and improve their lives, especially since the country has begun to go through a positive trajectory in as far as agriculture diversification is concerned.
Mr Loloji is concerned the decision has been made without consultations with relevant stakeholders adding that the decision is a drawback to those who are beginning to understand farming as a business.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Loloji has since appealed to the government to reverse the decision.
Some unconfirmed reports indicate that the 2020/2023 FISP would exclude crops such as groundnuts and soya seeds.
According to reports last week, Secretary to the Treasury, Felix Nkulukusa removed legumes from the Farmer Input Support Programm (FISP), a move which is likely to anger small scale farmers in rural areas. The decision by Mr Nkulukusa, according to sources from the Ministry of Agriculture would exclude crops such as groundnuts and soya seed from the FISP in the coming farming season.
“The FISP program is a vital tool for alleviating poverty, especially for the poor rural farmers. Hence it must be kept in its diversified form, to support all crops including maize, groundnuts & Soya seed. Legumes help meet nutritional needs of our rural poor who cannot afford other proteins like beef on their tables. These crops also enhance food security and broaden farmer’s income sources,” said Alfred Makumba, a Mkushi farmer.
According to Mr Makumba, the failure of the FISP program to support legumes may lead companies that depend on these crops like cooking oil making companies to be adversely affected.
“In short, all industries that depend on legumes will be adversely affected leading to massive job losses- the entire value chain will collapse. It’s against this background that we’re concerned with the behaviour of the Secretary to the Treasury for deciding to exclude all legumes from this year’s budget,” he said.
According to the source, “Mr Nkulukusa is very stubborn and wants to fix farmers and meanwhile, he’s busy giving concessions to rich mining firms? What are the priorities of this government? He’s working against the President who has been categorical in talking about a diversified Agriculture Support Program (ASP).”
The major problem, according to the source, was that Government was making decisions about the agriculture sector from the Ministry of Finance instead of the ministry responsible for agriculture.
“How feasible is it that technocrats from the Ministry are being ignored and decisions are being made from the Ministry of Finance? this is totally unacceptable,” said the source.
This decision is going to make the government very unpopular, especially in rural areas as most farmers depend on these legumes.
“We know that President Hakainde Hichilema means well, and he should reverse this retrogressive decision before it’s late. Even the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) is deeply concerned with this development,” the source said.
We have a f00I for a president. A very mad incompetent president whose only skill is lecturing zambians and telling us sob stories of his time in prison. So how can you expect him to make viable decisions
WHAT ARE SMALL SCALA FARMERS ?
THIS SEEMS LIKE PF LINGO THEY LONG GONE LETS WAKE UP PLEASE
The legumes command good market prices. Market forces can therefore be allowed free play to ensure sufficient production of these crops. I fully support Treasury Secretary Felix Nkulukusa’s decision.
More will be removed. Removal of these items means less bags of fertilizer. Muzasionela.
With due respect, Kaiser Zulu shouldn’t masquerade on this forum as on high moral ground when frequently being dragged to courts of law for civil and criminal offences. So we remind you to pay $13,000 you owe Mr Stephen Mulembeta Samuteba. You promised to pay this money within 30 days from 24th March 2022. Our free advice to Mr Zulu is that should pay by selling those personalised made shoes, watches and suits from Dubai. Alternatively, bloggers on this forum can begin to donate, give us your Bank account to make deposits. Us are quite transparent, no missing funds meant for your help. Further advice, don’t dare ACC to avoid crying ‘persecution’ as a song by most PF thieves.
Muna stop flooding this site with your spam
MUNA DOESNT REALISE THE 1D10T ON HERE
IS AN IMPOSTER
OTHERWISE SHOWING THIS FOREWARNS OTHERS TO THE CR00KS OUT THERE ?
In fact the whole FISP program should be done away altogether in stages so that after 5 years there is no fisp to talk about.
WELL STATED RAZOR
ITS JUST A BIG SCAM
MOST WHO RECEIVE FORWARD SELL 50% OF THIER INPUTS
ALSO WHAT PERCENTAGE IS REPAID
Ba under5