The Jesuits Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has praised government for introducing the electronic voucher (e-voucher) system for small scale farmers will improve efficiency in the delivery of farming inputs.
JCTR Director Leonard Chiti has noted that the e-voucher system will help government to reach out to more small scale farmers in outlying areas of the country in terms of providing them with inputs on time.
ZANIS reports that Fr. Chiti said the e-voucher system has multiple benefits to small scale farmers as it will also break the monopoly of the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in crop marketing.
The JCTR Director further observed that the system will improve efficiency and will help to reach to farmers in rural areas hence reducing transaction costs borne by farmers.
“As we understand it from President Edgar Lungu and Minister of Finance, Alexander Chikwanda’s speeches, it is supposed to breakdown the monopoly that FRA has enjoyed in the distribution of inputs and provision of markets,” he said.
Fr. Chiti added that, “It will also provide a wide range of options to small scale farmers who will have the possibility of accessing farming inputs from other dealers and this will help them,” he said.
Fr. Chiti further explained that system has highly been commended by international agencies and has worked well in Kenya.
And Fr. Chiti said studies have shown that small scale farmers in the country do produce much as they can as compared to other countries of the same heactarge.
He hoped that result s from the e-voucher pilot project will be good enough to help government and other stakeholders to rollout the programme to more farmers around the country.
