By Isaac Zulu
National Democratic Congress leader Saboi Imboela has charged that the earlier pronouncements by the UPND administration that they will distribute farming inputs by the end of July is political rhetoric.
Imboela, in an interview, said that the UPND administration promised the Zambian citizenry that seed and fertilizer would be supplied and distributed to the farming community; who are mostly beneficiaries of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), but this pledge has not been actualised.
She said that Zambians experienced the delayed distribution of farming inputs to small scale farmers, saying this contributed to low yields in the agriculture sector; which he said led to the national food security not being guaranteed.
“The UPND government promised to reduce the price of mealie meal, the increased fuel pump prices and; generally, the reduction of fuel pump prices and also ensure early distribution of fertiliser and seed,” Imboela said. “The UPND administration promised that they will distribute farming inputs on time, to be precise by the end of July 2023. But all these promises have proved to be nothing, but political rhetoric. And this experience made the country to experience some food insecurity in the country. On the trajectory that the UPND administration is moving on this matter, we are most likely to have food insecurity in our nation. The agriculture sector is already compromised.”
Imboela said that the UPND administration should have taken advantage of the increased demand for maize in East Africa and ensure that there is increased production and productivity in the agriculture sector, which she said would enable the nation get the “much needed forex.”
She also charged that the UPND government is clueless about the type of fertiliser that should be applied in particular regions on specific crops, saying this is also has the potential to contribute to low crop yields.
“The UPND government has failed to distribute farming inputs on time and they are now busy trying to distribute fertiliser and seed speedily and uphazardly; with a view to deceive the Zambian populace that they are up to the game when it comes to do with the distribution of farming inputs in the government. And yet not that is not what is obtaining on the ground. The UPND government appear not to know that some soil potassium and lime content vary from one Province to another. They don’t know that the the fertiliser that is applicable in Lusaka Province cannot be applicable in some fields in some parts of Luapula and Northern Provinces. But the challenge is that the UPND government is are clueless. They are clueless about the the entire agriculture sector,” said Imboela.
