.LUBINDA

By CHILA NAMAIKO –

MORE than 150,000 farmers across Southern Province are expected to access inputs from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) during the 2015/2016 farming season.
Agriculture and Livestock Minister Given Lubinda last month flagged-off the distribution exercise for this year’s farming inputs countrywide at the Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia.
Provincial Agricultural Coordinator, Max Choombe said the targeted farmers during this year’s farming season, would receive an assortment of D-Compound and top dressing fertiliser with maize, groundnuts and sorghum seeds.
Dr Choombe said in an interview yesterday that the province was expected to start receiving the farming inputs within the course of this month.
“As a province, we are geared to commence the distribution exercise of inputs to targeted farmers under FISP, we are just waiting for the commodities to arrive anytime,” he said.
Dr Choombe, however, could not state the quantities of both D-Compound and top dressing fertiliser the province was expected to receive.
The distribution of inputs to farmers early would enable them to commence preparations for farming on time.
Chief Moyo of the Tonga speaking people in Pemba appealed to seed companies to consider reducing the price of seed to make it affordable to farmers.
He said farmers, particularly those in remote areas faced challenges in purchasing seed because it was being sold at a high price.
He said if seed companies reduce seed prices, more farmers would purchase a variety of seeds and also plant drought resistant seeds owing to recent dry spell.
Chief Moyo was speaking at the recent Provincial Conservation Farming Day held at a local farmer Jelita Singombe’s farm in his chiefdom.