By Roydah Chongo
As preparations for the 2024/2025 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) gain momentum towards commencement set for 2nd September, 2024, government is rolling out the Electronic Voucher system modality in 72 districts.
Director- Internal Audit in the Ministry of Agriculture LARRY MULOMBA disclosed that all the districts on the Copperbelt province will be among the 72 that will implement the programme using the E-Voucher system while the remaining 42 districts will implement using the Direct Input Supply (DIS) modality.
He added that the migration of districts to the E-Voucher commenced in the 2023/2024 farming season with 17 districts in Central and Lusaka provinces.
“The DIS will be implemented in 42 districts covering a total of 285,168 farmers, while the E-Voucher will be implemented in 72 districts representing 739,266 farmers respectively” Mr. MULOMBA explained.
Speaking in Ndola during a FISP sensitization workshop for Ministry of Agriculture staff directly involved in the implementation of FISP, Mr. MULOMBA explained that the E-Voucher modality is intended to support the transformation of the Zambia Agricultural sector in a production oriented manner that will ensure food security at both national and household levels.
“Some of the notable transformations the E-Voucher will positively highlight will include enhancing farmer’s choices of inputs, creating jobs by boosting market participation of input suppliers and Agro dealers, ensuring a cost effective and timely distribution of inputs as well as promoting agricultural diversification among others,” the director highlighted.
In light of these developments, Mr. MULOMBA noted that government will soon announce some pre-financing mechanisms to ensure timely E-Voucher transactions and payments for inputs under the 2024/2025 FISP implementation.
He also made a disclosure that government has bonded farmers that will benefit from the 2024/2025 FISP to sell a minimum of 10 X 50 kg bags of white maize grain to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in accordance to Cabinet Circular No. CM 11 of 2024 as a pre-requisite to qualify as a beneficiary under FISP for the upcoming season.
And Principal Agricultural Economist DENNIS MUNACHUSA emphasized that the migration to the E-Voucher does not change district allocation but only the modality.
“I wish to note that during the 2024/2025 farming season, each farmer will get the following inputs: 3 X 50 kg basal fertilizer, 3 X 50kg top dressing fertilizer, 1 X 10kg bag maize, and either 1 X 25kg bag soya beans, or 1 X 20kg bag groundnuts, or 1 X 12.5kg bag Rice, or 1 X 20kg bag common beans, or 1 X 5kg bag millet respectively,” Mr. Munachusa explained.
He has since urged Ministry of Agriculture staff to exhibit professionalism and integrity as they implement FISP as they are critical in making the Programme work. He implored them to ensure that they target the correct beneficiaries, interact with the suppliers, monitor the usage of inputs, look out for fake/counterfeit inputs and above all to desist from fraudulent activities.
Later Mr. MUNACHUSA highlighted that the Sustainable Agricultural Financing Facility (SAFF) will be implemented throughout the country in order to provide affordable agriculture finance loans to small and medium scale farmers.
“Government will also implement the Sustainable Agricultural Financing Facility which will be accessed through an online application to be duly signed by the Camp Extension Officer, District Agricultural Coordinators, District Livestock and Fisheries Coordinators,” he said.
He said in addition to crop production, SAFF has been expanded to include the component of irrigation arising from the lesson of drought learnt during the last farming season adding that farmers will be eligible to apply for K30, 000 to K500, 000 under small-scale irrigation.
“The other components included are mechanisation and livestock, I urge you to encourage farmers who will not to benefit from FISP to apply for this facility,” he said.
Ndola District Agricultural Coordinator Phillip Kalima commended the Ministry of Agriculture for conducting the 2024/2025 FISP and SAFF sensitisation early.
In a vote of thanks, Mr. Kalima said he was hopeful that the program will start early following the timely sensitization of key staff and stakeholders.
“We are grateful that the sensitisation has been done early this year compared to last year which led to some farmers redeeming as late as February, this coupled with the drought led to poor results,” he said.
Mr. Kalima described SAFF as a good programme, which would yield positive results and pledged to monitor the two programmes to ensure they succeed.
“We would like to assure you that we will do our level best to ensure our farmers benefit from both programs and ensure food security,” he said
93,688 beneficiaries on the Copperbelt are expected to benefit from FISP in the 2024/2025 farming season while 40,000 beneficiaries from all the 10 provinces are expected to benefit under SAFF. -NAIS
