PELUM CALLS FOR COMPLETE SCRAPPING OFF OR REDUCED FUNDING TO FISP IN 2024 BUDGET
By Patricia Male
PELUM Zambia says it expects budgetary allocation to The Farmer Input Support Program -FISP- to be scrapped off completely or reduced in the 2024 national budget.
PELUM Zambia Programs Officer Wilfred Miga, says the organization expects funding to FISP to drop from the current 68.5 percent in the 2023 budget because it has failed since its inception due to the many challenges the program continues to face.
In an interview with Phoenix News, Mr. Miga says the huge amount of funding in the 2024 budget should instead go towards increasing extension service provisions to farmers, more research centers, and infrastructure development such as farmer training centers.
Mr. Miga says PELUM also expects the 2024 national budget which is currently being formulated, to either reduce or completely scrap off tax on appropriate processing equipment in order to stop the post-harvest losses being experienced on perishable products
PHOENIX NEWS