I don’t think I have failed yet – Mtolo
By Kombe Chimpinde Mataka
AGRICULTURE minister Reuben Mtolo Phiri says he has not failed to run the sector.
Responding to Lubansenshi PF member of parliament Kabwe Chewe who challenged him to facilitate an address by President Hakainde Hichilema to the House over the issues of fertiliser on Tuesday, Mtolo said he would not do that because he had not failed and that the President had confidence in him.
“Madam Speaker each time we come to interact, we listen. Now at every point when I come and I listen, I will adjust and say, ‘this makes a lot of sense. Let us change because we are here for the people, not to punish the people’. Madam Speaker, I would like Dr Chewe to explain what he wants to tell the President because the President has confidence in his ministers. So unless we have failed, unless I have failed, I can ask the President to come and address the nation. I would be a very strange minister who would go and tell the President to say ‘Sir, please the nation wants you to go and talk about fertiliser’,” Mtolo said. “Immediately I have done that, I am saying that I have failed. Come on, it is not like that. I think so far we are working together and trying to develop the agriculture sector. I don’t think I have failed yet, so I would not do that Madam speaker. I am being honest, unless they say what they want to tell the President. I am here. I am the Minister of Agriculture, I have got the mandate and I am capable and I am able and I am ready. Thank you.”
On floor, Chewe said Zambians were seemingly not happy about the management of the agriculture sector particularly with the handling of farming inputs.
“The good people of Zambia have complained that ‘we are not happy as small-scale farmers who have been benefiting from this FISP (Farmer Input Support Programme)’ And for this reason, we brought this matter before this honourable House to find a lasting solution because I believe that government is people. When people speak or complaining, our job as the executive is to listen them. My question is honourable, how ready are you to facilitate the address His Excellency to address the nation and farmers so that people maybe can hear from the President who has been given a mandate to rule this country in terms of the position because we may continue talking about this issue, maybe the President himself could have a different view,” said Chewe. “So that our people whom we represent can also hear the President on how best we can help our people. We are dealing with a very important item which is life and it is anchored on food.”
But Mtolo said there was no way the government could continue sustaining farmers on FISP for 20 years.
“Some farmers have been getting this FISP from 2002 up to today. Honestly wouldn’t they leave room for others? The ones we have set aside are the ones who are complaining so much. This is a policy position Madam Speaker and as a compromise, we said do not isolate all the old farmers. Try to do an 80 per cent new farmers, 20 per cent old farmers so that we do not isolate the old farmers.
Everywhere including Mpika we have said 20 per cent should be old farmers, 80 per cent new farmers. We cannot continue dealing with the same people for more than 20 years. Where is the fairness?” he asked. “Let others benefit. This is free fertiliser. Madam Speaker there will be no hunger because the same number has been given the same quantity of fertiliser as it was last year. Therefore, they will still produce.”
Mtolo urged MPs to discourage fertiliser sharing so that productivity can increase.
“If you are given medicine for Malaria to say take six tablets per day and you start sharing these tablets and sharing with your family, your malaria won’t go and that is what is happening in the field. This issue of sharing fertiliser and just putting a few grains does not do anything to our maize,” he said.
Mtolo said the current number of farmers on the ministry’s register were three million but that the government could only support over one million.
There’s been complaints around the FISP and a chaotic delivery of fertilizer for the current farming season.
Last week agriculture permanent secretary Green Mbozi wrote two fertiliser suppliers over the slow pace or non-delivery of the commodity as at October 25.
Fertiliser Seed and Grain Limited had by October 25, zero delivery FSG was contracted to supply 24,406.65 metric tonnes of urea to Central Province and 8,878 metric tonnes to Lusaka Province by November 30.
Another supplier, Agrizam Investment Limited by October 25, had only supplied 5,866.20 metric tonnes from the expected 29,181.45 metric tonnes of Compound D fertiliser, giving a balance of 23,315.25 metric tonnes. For Urea, Agrizam has only supplied 248 metric tonnes from the expected 29,933.45 metric tonnes, leaving a balance of 28,933.45 metric tonnes.