Govt deploys e-voucher to all 116 districts, tightens accountability measures for Farmer Input Support Programme

The government has reportedly expanded the e-voucher modality to all 116 districts across the country to enhance transparency in input distribution, reduce leakage and eliminate ghost beneficiaries and improve efficiency in programme implementation.

Agriculture Minister, Rebuen Mtolo, said the move was aimed at providing farmers with greater choice in selecting their preferred suppliers, enable real time monitoring of programme activities.

Mtolo told Parliament in a statement delivered on Friday that this would facilitate better coordination between various stakeholders and remove the corruption perception that was often associated with bulk buying.

He said the government had also issued cabinet circular 11 of 2024 to strengthen implementation and accountability measures of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP)

“Therefore in strict adherence to Cabinet Circular CM 11 of 2024, we have implemented comprehensiv3 accountability measures to ensure that FISP beneficiaries fulfil their obligations to the programme,” Mtolo said.

He added that this meant that all bonded farmers who recieved support in the 2024/2025 farming season were required to sell a minimum of 10×50kg software maize to the Food Reserve Agency and 7×40 bags of Rice.

Mtolo said these requirements ensured that farmers contribute to national food security while benefitting from the government support.

“All the farmers on FISP have signed a bonding agreement, and according to the agreement, the bonded farmers must sell a minimum of above the mentioned without fail unless exempted from so doing under the vulnerability assessment report issued under the Office of the Vice President,” he stated.

Mtolo announced that to strengthen monitoring and compliance, the Ministry had successfully deployed the Zambia Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (ZIAMIS) with the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) system.

He said this integration enhanced the Ministry’s ability to track maize sales by FISP beneficiaries and ensured accountability in the programme and implementing a comprehensive replacement system for ineligible farmers.

“New beneficiaries will replace those farmers who have been identified and removed from the programme due to non-compliqnce with programme requirements and the process would commence once the updated beneficiary lists were shared with affected Provinces,” Motolo said.

Mtolo also cautioned farmers against selling their inputs and discounting their vouchers for cash, warning that that they would be disqualified.

“Additionally, agro dealers are cautioned against supplying non certified seeds, fertilizer and chemicals as this is tantamount to sabotage of the economy and therefore, commits a criminal offence which is non bailable with long jail sentence,” he warned.

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