Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
AGRICULTURE Minister Given Lubinda has questioned the legality of the recently launched FDD agricultural start-up grants programme for small-scale farmers.
He states that the fact that some FDD members are distancing themselves from the programme that it is a politically motivated programme with sinister motives raises concern.
Responding to a question by Kapiri Mposhi Member of parliament Eddie Musonda who wanted to find out whether government has allowed the FDD to operate a programme similar to the Farmer Input Support Programme and under what legal framework the FDD is operating its programme, Mr Lubinda said if the programme is being done in good faith and intended to reach farmers not reached by the Farmer Input Support Programme, it would not be done without informing his ministry.
Mr Lubinda says failure by the FDD to inform the government, the programme will remain a matter of speculation as to its motive.
He adds that it will be sad to discover that the farmers that are being reached by the FDD programme are also beneficiaries of the government Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) as this will be limiting farmers who should be reached by the two programmes.
Mr Lubinda further states that his ministry’s concern is that the FDD maybe using GMO seed which could be damaging to agriculture.