GOVT URGED TO COMMERCIALIZE OR SCRAP OFF FISP
By Mastone Moonze
Economist Noel Nkhoma is calling on government to either commercialized or scrap off completely the Farmer Input Support Program-FISP- under the Ministry of Agriculture because it has served little to no purpose.
Mr Nkhoma tells Phoenix News that the program has only benefitted fertilizer and seed suppliers instead of its intended purpose of improving production from small scale farmers.
He says FISP should be commercialized through coming up with an agreement that will ensure a certain percentage of yields from benefitting farmers is given back to the government after harvesting.
Mr Nkhoma is concerned that the program in its current form is draining double from government treasuries through subsidy under FISP and the Food Reserve Agency-FRA- when the produce is ready for market.
Meanwhile, Party of National Unity and Progress-PNUP- President Highvie Hamududu says the delay by government to distribute farming inputs to farmers under FISP is a disaster that must not be repeated in future and is urging government to expedite the distribution exercise.
And Chama North Member of Parliament Yotam Mtayachalo is saddened that 50% of old beneficiaries in Chama district are being removed from the list at the eleventh hour despite paying K400 contributions to infuse in members from new cooperatives, a situation which has resulted in to confusion among farmers.
PHOENIX NEWS