BY GIDEON NYENDWA
THE UPND government is just following in the footsteps that were left by PF regarding weaning off farmers from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) every two years and other proposed reforms, former minister of Agriculture Michael Kakambo has said.
Mr. Katambo said it was the PF that unearthed the unmorally of having farmers on FISP for more than two years which was inherited from the MMD government. “I am on record on the floor of parliament answering questions of weaning off farmers from FISP every two years,” he said.
He said if PF had still been in power farmers would have graduated from FISP to allow new ones to be added on the programme. Mr. Katambo said FISP was not a PF program, it was just inherited from the MMD and the party had to make changes that enabled the country to be having back to back bumper harvests when they were in power.
He said all the changes that were implemented during that time came after proper consultation and recommendation from the experts at the ministry who are there even now. Mr. Katambo said it was the experts at the ministry that had advised what was implemented under the e-voucher system to give advantage to the areas that were experiencing droughts in some parts of the country.
Mr Katambo has however, commended the UPND government for increasing the number of fertilizer to six bags and 10 bags of maize seed. Mr. Katambo said every move that was progressive deserves to be supported because this will contribute to improving the food security in the country.
Author
