Press Statement: Immediate Payment for Kanchibiya Farmers is Urgent
Date: 11th September 2024.
We call upon the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to urgently address the delayed payments to farmers in Kanchibiya who sold their maize to the agency. The prolonged delays in receiving payment, particularly due to contracted banks running short on funds, have left many farmers stranded and struggling to meet their daily needs.
These delayed payments risk reversing the hard-earned gains our farmers have made. Without prompt compensation for their produce, many are now forced to borrow money, plunging them into unnecessary debt. This is unacceptable.
Timely payments, just like the early and adequate distribution of agricultural inputs to small-scale farmers, are critical to maintaining a motivated and productive agricultural sector. Our farmers’ success directly impacts the food security and economic growth of the nation. We must not let bureaucratic delays undermine the dedication and hard work of those who feed us all.
Recommendations Moving Forward
To avoid these recurring issues, we propose the following measures:
1. Improved Payment Systems: The FRA should streamline and strengthen its payment mechanisms to ensure funds are released promptly. This could include direct payments to farmers via mobile money platforms to avoid delays caused by banking inefficiencies.
2. Contractual Clarity: Agreements between the FRA and contracted banks must include clear timelines for the release of funds to ensure that payment delays do not occur in the future.
3. Priority in Budgeting: The government should ensure that allocations for farmer payments are prioritized in the national budget and disbursed on time to allow the FRA to fulfill its financial obligations without unnecessary delays.
4. Early Input Distribution: As we move forward, it is crucial that the government also ensures timely and adequate distribution of agricultural inputs, including seeds and fertilizer, to small-scale farmers. This will not only improve yields but also motivate farmers, boosting productivity and national food security.
Our farmers are the backbone of Zambia’s agricultural economy, and their livelihoods should not be compromised by inefficiencies in the system. The FRA must prioritize releasing funds to ensure that our farmers in Kanchibiya and across the country receive their dues without further delay.
We urge the FRA and all stakeholders involved to act swiftly and implement these recommendations to create a more resilient and productive agricultural sector, one that supports Zambia’s food security and the development of our rural communities.
Signed:
Sunday Chilufya Chanda
Member of Parliament, Kanchibiya Constituency