WE’RE WORKING, SAYS HH
Lusaka ~ Wed, 20 Oct 2021
By Brightwell Chabusha
President Hakainde Hichilema has his government is working as he announces that all beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme will this farming season receive six bags of fertilizer and a pocket of seed each.
President Hichilema said the changes are in line with the agricultural reforms UPND promised during campaigns.
“We promised agriculture reforms and we have started by addressing the imbalances in FISP. All the beneficiaries of FISP will get 6 bags of fertilizer and 10kg seed whether they are on direct inputs or voucher modality this season,” President Hichilema said on his Facebook page.
“Before, farmers mostly in Southern, Western and parts of Lusaka province, on voucher system could only afford 3 bags of fertilizer. This was because their voucher value was not reflective of market input prices.”
He said Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri immediately went to work to fix anomalies in the FISP system to ensure all farmers are treated equally.
“Fixing FISP is only the beginning, there are more changes to come. The 2022/23 farming season will see more reforms that will make Zambia and Zambians food secure. We are working,” said President Hichilema.