Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
A total of 955, 594 farmers were set to participate in the 2018/2019 farming season under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) as of the 31st of December 2018.
Government targeted to capture 1, 000, 000 farmers who would redeem farming inputs under the direct input supply and through the card-less E-Voucher system after making individual contributions of K400.
Minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo says from the captured farmers, those who redeemed under direct input supply were 382, 989 while those that redeemed using the card-less modality were 435, 854.
Mr. Katambo says this means that a total of 818, 843 farmers of out of the 955, 594 that were captured at the close of business on the 31st of December 2018, redeemed farming inputs.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka Mr. Katambo says this represent 86 percent of the farmers that have responded to FISP.
Mr. Katambo has however acknowledged that the programme faced challenges which include some agro dealers running out of inputs due to delayed payments of agro dealers invoices.
He has disclosed that his Ministry has so far only paid invoices amounting to K327.6 million to agro dealers out of the K1.02 billion.
The Minister of Agriculture says invoices amounting to a total of K423.6 million are currently being processed for payment from the treasury.
He says the Ministry will close the accepting of farmers’ deposits of K400 at the close of business on Monday the 7th of January 2019, stressing that no farmer deposits will be accepted after this date.
And Speaking at the same media briefing Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for E-Governance, Martine Mtonga has warned of serious action those engaging in fraudulent activities in the administration (FISP).
Dr. Mtonga says so far the police has arrested some people including agriculture officers who involved themselves in fraudulent activities.