27,000 KATETE FARMERS TARGETED FOR FISP
Written by Millennium on September 4, 2019
SIMON MUNTEMBA writes
@SunZambian
MORE than 26,000 farmers have been targeted to benefit from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in the 2019/20 farming season, says Katete District Agriculture Coordinator (DACO) James Ngalamila.
Mr Ngalamila said for the coming farming season government was targeting 26,869 farmers to benefit from FISP in the district.
In an interview with the Sun, Mr Ngalamila said the district would retain the same number of beneficiaries as the 2018/19 season.
“We are targeting 26,869 farmers, we have started early this year and we are targeting that by October we should start distributing the inputs,” said Mr Ngalamila.
Mr Ngalamila said what would determine the early distribution of the inputs is requirements like the engagement of transporters on time and the timely deposit of the K400 by farmers.
“We are hopeful that transporters will deliver on time as late distribution of the inputs makes it challenging to reach far flung areas due to the state of the roads which become a challenge during the rainy season,” he said.
He said it was government’s desire to see that FISP was implemented on time to allow the farmers to plant seed on time to have better chances of a high yield.
Mr Ngalamila further said this was being done to prepare adequately for unforeseen weather changes during the farming season.
“The institution was set and had already engaged the bank and the seed warehouse manager to ensure a smooth distribution of the farming inputs,
“It is important for farmers to make ready their finances so as to pay the K400 needed for them to access the inputs,” Mr Ngalamila said.
He appealed to farmers to have active mobile phones to receive alerts about the programme.
Mr Ngalamila has also appealed to all network providers to work on the internet connectivity to enable the institution run the delivery of farming inputs smoothly and on time.
