IT is good that Government has secured funds to pay off farmers who supplied maize and other crops to the Food Reserve Agency during the 2021 marketing season.
Farmers put in a lot of effort to prepare their fields and harvest the crops. It is only logical that at the end of the day, they are paid promptly to motivate them.
The stand-off that the nation witnessed between the new dawn administration and the farmers over the delayed payments was uncalled for.
The new dawn administration initially claimed that there was no money to pay the farmers who supplied maize, rice and soya beans to the FRA during the 2021 marketing season.
This stand obviously did not go well with the farmers as they were being made a scapegoat for the government’s failure to source for funds to clear the debt owed to them.
But after what appeared to be a long stand-off, the Ministry of Agriculture announced at the weekend that it has secured some funds to clear off the K1.6 million debt that it owes farmers.
Agriculture Minister Mtolo Phiri disclosed that the ministry will re-commence making payments to the farmers by January 3, 2022. This is in addition to the K1.2 billion that has been paid to farmers who supplied to the FRA.
Mr Phiri regretted that the payments have slightly delayed thereby causing panic among farmers but assured that Government remains committed to settle all the outstanding balances that it owes them.
The delay in paying the farmers has quite clearly disrupted their farming activities as most have not been able to buy farming inputs that they need to prepare their fields.
This disruption in their programmes is likely to have a telling effect on the country’s overall food production because the farmers would most likely reduce the acreage.
Delayed payments also mean that most farmers would not have ready cash to meet school requirements for their children when schools re-open.
When farmers are frustrated, it is the national economy that bears the brunt.
The country has in recent years been having bumper harvests of maize because the government ensured that agricultural inputs, for farmers who were on FISP got their supplies on time.
Payments, which used to be a thorn in the flesh were straightened out such that no farmer was ever issued with a “promissory note,” but was assured of prompt payments.
Farmers found themselves in a win-win situation, that for as long as they worked hard, there was a ready market for their produce and guaranteed prompt payment.
With the weather pattern being so unpredictable due to climate change effects, it is important that nothing is allowed to frustrate farmers, especially the small-scale farmers, especially administrative bottlenecks.
That is why farmers found it hard to accept why the FRA was failing to pay them for having bought more maize than the targeted figure.
But with the assurance by Mr Phiri that all farmers will be paid off by next week, it is our hope that lessons have been learnt and going forward, there must always be provisions for excess harvest.
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