By CATHERINE NYIRENDA –
GOVERNMENT has engaged stakeholders in the agricultural sector to ensure that hurdles in the maize marketing and Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) processes are resolved.
The consultations would culminate into a symposium to be held next week on Wednesday, attracting 100 participants drawn from the agricultural sector.

. Lubinda

Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda said this in Parliament yesterday when he issued a ministerial statement on the payment of farmers for the 2014 marketing season.
“At an opportune time, I will come back to this August House to issue a statement on the plans for the 2015 marketing season, in preparation for the above, we have engaged in rigorous consultations with stakeholders which will culminate into a symposium to be held on Wednesday March 18, 2015,”  he said.
He said the ministry in consultation with the stakeholders would find the way forward on how to handle the two programmes to achieve maximum results.
The minister told the House that on January 15, 2015, Government released the remaining balance to clear outstanding payments to farmers who supplied their produce to the Food Reserves Agency (FRA).
“We are confident that all farmers were paid their dues soon after the January 15 2015,’ he said.
Mr Lubinda also refuted claims that Government would not buy any maize from farmers this year.
He said this in response to a supplementary question raised by Patriotic Front (PF) Nchanga Member of Parliament Wilbur Simuusa who wanted to know whether speculation that Government would not buy maize from farmers for the 2014/2015 marketing season were true.
“Government will buy maize according to the required amount by the Food Reserve Agency, should there be such a decision made it would not be made by my ministry alone but in consultation with Cabinet, otherwise the speculations are false,” he said.