By Christine Mwale
Senga Hill District in Northern Province has received its total allocation of basal
fertilizer under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)
ahead of the 2023/2024 farming season.
Senga Hill District Agriculture Co-ordinator Aaron Sinkamba disclosed that the district was allocated 1725 metric tonnes (34500 by 50Kg bags) of D – Compound which has been supplied by United Capital Fertilizers (UCF).
Mr. Sinkamba said that government has delivered the basal fertilizer early in order to allow farmers to begin their planning before the onset of the farming season.
“As a district, we have received our allocation for D – Compound for the 2023/2024 farming season. I believe this will greatly benefit our farmers as it implies that they will be able to collect their inputs in good time. This will also enable farmers plan properly on how they will transport these inputs from various shades where they will collecting from,” he explained.
Mr. Sinkamba further disclosed that the delivery of top dressing fertilizer would begin soon in the district and urged the farmers who will be picked to benefit to begin preparing themselves.
And United Capital Fertilizer Depot Manager Baron Ng’ombe disclosed that the company had secured five shades for storing the inputs.
He added that the company had engaged security guards to ensure safety of the fertilizer.
“As a Company we have secured three shades in Senga Central and two in Mambwe Mission. We have also gone a step further in ensuring safety of the fertilizer by engaging security personnel who will be guarding the premises all the time,” Mr. Ng’ombe said.
District Agriculture Committee Chairperson Peter Witola was elated with Government’s effort on the early distribution of fertilizer in the district.
He said it was gratifying to see fertilizer arriving early adding that this would enable farmers plan well.
“In the past fertilizer used to arrive quite late and this negatively affected us as farmers. Some of our farmers are in far off places were transport is a huge challenge and become impassable during rainy season, so with this move we are assured that our farmers will not encounter this challenge in this year’s farming season as we believe even distribution will be done early,” Mr Witola explained.
He also advised his fellow farmers to work hard as government had shown commitment by sending inputs early. -NAIS
