17,000 Mkushi farmers targeted for FISP

BY PETER MALASHA in Mkushi

ABOUT 17,054 farmers are expected to benefit from 2017-2018 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), Mkushi District acting Agricultural Coordinator Musenga Chella has revealed.

Mr. Chella told the Daily Nation that necessary arrangements were being made to ensure that farmers received inputs according to details from their cooperative societies. He said farmer registration and verification would help to screen bogus farmers so that only genuine ones benefited from the Government programme unlike in the past.

“We have an allocation of about 17,054 to benefit eligible farmers in Mkushi district. The registration and verification exercise will screen farmers to benefit from inputs under Farmer Input Support Programme for 2017-2018 farming season,” Mr. Chella said.

And Mr.Chella has dispelled assertions that Mkushi District will not receive inputs through the e-voucher system. He said all was set for the new system to be rolled out.

“It is government policy that inputs under Farmer Input Support Programme to be distributed through the introduced e-voucher system. Of course, mistakes were there and perfected after the pilot project stage. As for now, data has been captured electronically. All is set for Mkushi farmers to use the new system. Mr. Chella stressed.

The DACO added that farmers’ details were already captured in the data base. He further said farmers in the area had been sensitised about the e-voucher system and eager for the new development.

Mr. Chella has since appealed to farmers to use the inputs under (FISP) for the intended purpose to enhance their farming activities.