By Chinoyi Chipulu
Government through the department of Community Development has started the distribution of farming inputs for the traditional wetland farming component under the Food Security Pack Programme (FSP) in Ndola district.
And Ndola district commissioner Joseph Phiri has urged beneficiaries not to sell the farming inputs which they will receive from government.
In an interview with Daily Revelation yesterday, Phiri said about 2000 households in Ndola were set to benefit from the FSP program.
Phiri said among the inputs received are bags of Urea fertilizer, bags of Compound-D and bags of maize seed.
“I want to urge all beneficiaries to take advantage of the programme as it will uplift their livelihoods and enhance household food security,” he said.
He said so far, 200 farmers have been given farming inputs under the wetlands programme in Ndola’s Kaninik ward.
“The emergency wetlands programme which is targeting wetland farmers was brought about following the drought crisis that the country is currently facing. And a total of 2000 farmers will receive the farming inputs in Ndola. Each farmer will be given two bags of fertilizer and one bag of maize,” he said.
And Phiri said the authority was worried that some beneficiaries could sell the inputs to bogus buyers.
“I want to urge farmers to not sell inputs but put them to good use. It is unfortunate that some farmers sell their farming inputs thereby, frustrating government’s efforts,” said Phiri.
