17,792 farmers in Chongwe to benefit from FISP…as farmers struggle to transport inputs

By JOHN KOMBE
A total of 17,792 small scale farmers in Chongwe will benefit from the Farmer Input Supply Program (FISP) for the 2021/2022 farming season.
Chongwe municipal council Mayor, Christopher Habeenzu made the observation when he graced the flagging off of the distribution exercise in Nchute ward.
He also witnessed the distribution of 114 x 50 kg bags of fertilizer and 19 x 10 kg bags of maize seeds to 19 Nchute ward farmers under the Tilimbe cooperative.
He said that the government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, attaches great importance to the agricultural sector because it plays a key role in fostering economic development.
He said that Chongwe district will be under the direct input supply system and advised the district agriculture office to ensure that FISP inputs are distributed to the intended farmers as soon as possible. He said that this will help to enhance agricultural production in the district.
He also implored the cooperative leaders in Chongwe to ensure that only eligible farmers benefit from the agricultural inputs so that the government vision of ensuring food and income security is attained.
The Mayor also warned the beneficiary farmers from trading the inputs away. He urged them to ensure that the inputs are used for the intended purpose. He emphasized that there should be no reports of sale of FISP inputs.
And some farmers in Chongwe are struggling to transport the inputs from the distribution points.
Susan Mambwe of Chinkuli ward said that her cooperative struggled to raise funds for the transportation of the inputs. She said that the farmers had not prepared for such an eventuality. She said that the government should have sensitised the farmers before implementing the decision to cancel the government-funded transportation of inputs.
She pointed out that the development will negatively impact the whole exercise and wondered how some cooperatives in the poorer part of the district will manage to transport the inputs at their own cost.