Green Mbozi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, is urging farmers who won’t be beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in the 2023/24 season to seize the opportunity provided by the government’s new credit window. This initiative aims to empower farmers and enhance agricultural production across Zambia.
Mr. Mbozi disclosed that the government will soon announce the financial institutions where farmers can access this new credit service. The move is intended to support those farmers who may not qualify for FISP assistance.
Recognizing that FISP had been plagued by issues of misallocation and irregularities in the past, Mr. Mbozi called upon the Office of District Commissioners to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture in ensuring that inputs are allocated to deserving beneficiaries, thereby promoting transparency and fairness in the distribution process.
Mr. Mbozi made these remarks during a visit to Kalulushi, where he led a delegation of experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Ministry of Agriculture officials, and collaborating partners. The purpose of the visit was to pay a courtesy call on Kalulushi District Commissioner, Kelly Jibinga.
District Commissioner Jibinga shared positive news, confirming that Kalulushi District had received a full consignment of D’Compound fertilizer, along with 18,000 of the 23,540 x 50 kg bags of Urea allocated for the region.
Mr. Jibinga expressed his gratitude to JICA for its contributions toward improving the livelihoods of the Zambian people, underscoring the importance of such partnerships in advancing agricultural development and food security.
The visiting delegation’s presence in the Copperbelt region is to gain a firsthand understanding of the development efforts being undertaken by the government and JICA through the Smallholder Horticultural Empowerment Programme. This collaborative endeavor aims to enhance the agricultural landscape in Zambia and uplift the lives of small-scale farmers across the country.
Welcome to dream land. Which lender is going to risk their money by waiving security such as a house by the borrower?
Its already being done for Civil servants for loans for other items such as vehicles. Why should it be a problem for agricultural loans? Perpetual critics will criticise anything and everything. Let those who wish to take advantage of such initiatives do so.
#Makunku Can you hear yourself…are civil servants the farmers? No wonder we are sinking like the PF boat…. you are even free to mention people who are in employment
This is only for civil servants not every peasant farmer with no Bank Account. And they’re the ones who grow maize. Civil servants are already busy. These loans will be accessed by commercial farmers who don’t grow maize because of Govt Price controls. MAL up your game
Forget the full above(Makunku). No logical person can come up with such an example
Peasant farmers are not civil servants.
Beauty without a brain, it’s the private parts that suffer. Power without brains, it’s masses that suffer. The UPND have the power but they don’t have brains so Zambians should brace for hard times ahead. The first rains have started and those farmers that have already deposited their K400 don’t know whether they’ll receive the input or not or they’ll again share medas. Loans? Even DACO don’t know anything. No application form has been distributed so how will they be processed? They’ve wasted 2yrs just scratching their balls and blaming PF. We’re in trouble
The much touted CASP seems to be abandoned because it has a component of susidies in it just like FISP. No wonder they are now talking about agroloans that have no basis. Zambia is NOT currently food secure and it is by no means time for experiments. If today we don’t know from which bank to go to for agricultural finances, when will we?
If it is not broken, don’t mend it.