By Martin Mashekwa
SOME farmers in Kalomo have expressed concern over the exclusion of names which were submitted to their respective community agriculture committees (CACs) but are not appearing on the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) beneficiary list at the local agriculture office.
Speaking on behalf of other farmers, Kamuseka Cooperative chairperson of Siachitema block, Hillary Muleya said that several names which were submitted have not yet been tagged in the system to appear on the final list to enable them deposit the required K400 for them to acquire the agro inputs.
“We have been spending nights here in town in the hope that those names which are not appearing will come out but the system looks not to actualise our expectation. And imagine, we have only exactly 13 days before the close of the depositing time, still things are moving at this pace, let us shake up the system please, ” Mr Muleya said.
This comes barely a week after acting district agriculture coordinator, Ng’andu Simuulu confirmed that FISP deposits are going on well at the all seven designated financial points in the area.
Meanwhile, district commissioner, Joshua Sikaduli also confirmed having received reports of suspected fraudulent dealings believed to have been engineered by community agriculture committee members and their respective camp officers.
Mr Sikaduli warned that if any fraudulent dealings are to be proved, erring officers would not be spared for depriving eligible viable farmers to participate in the FISP.
This comes in the wake of reports of shady dealings also reported in Sipatunyana, Malende, Namwianga and other agriculture camps over delays of tagging of new names in the system.
District agriculture committee chairperson, Alexcious Sindumda who oversees the CACs was not available to comment over the allegation as his phone was unreachable by press time.
Kalomo is targeting 31,000 farmers to benefit from the Farmer Input Support Programme for the 2022-23 farming season and so far only 8,457 farmers have deposited. The depositing exercise is expected to close by November 20, according to agriculture sources. – ZANIS.
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