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Government has raised concern over reports that some farmers in various districts are selling inputs redeemed under the 2026/2027 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) to agro-dealers and other members of the public.
The Ministry of Agriculture said the practice undermined the objectives of FISP, which was designed to provide agricultural inputs directly to eligible farmers to support production, improve productivity and contribute to national food security.
In a statement issued in Lusaka on Saturday, Ministry Principal Public Relations Officer, Bhalewa Zyuulu, said 742,447 farmers had successfully redeemed their inputs under the programme as of November 6, representing 72.47 percent of the targeted 1,024,434 beneficiaries nationwide.
“The Ministry strongly cautions farmers against selling or surrendering their redeemed inputs to agro-dealers or any other individuals,” he said.
Zyuulu said the inputs were intended for farmers’ own agricultural production and should be used for their designated purpose.
He said the Ministry had also received reports of some farmers sharing their e-voucher codes with cooperative leaders and other intermediaries.
“Farmers have been strongly advised to safeguard their voucher codes and personal identification details and to ensure that they collect inputs individually from authorised agro-dealers,” he said.
Zyuulu said the successful implementation of FISP was a shared responsibility and that Government would not condone conduct that compromised the programme’s objectives or deprived deserving farmers of support.
He also reminded accredited agro-dealers to uphold the integrity of the programme by adhering to its operational guidelines and terms and conditions.
“The Ministry has strictly warned agro-dealers against buying back, receiving or facilitating the resale of inputs redeemed by farmers,” he said.
Zyuulu warned that anyone found engaging in practices that undermined the programme’s objectives and implementation risked appropriate action in accordance with established guidelines.
He urged farmers not to surrender their voucher codes to cooperative leaders or other third parties, warning that doing so could expose them to unauthorised transactions and loss of their entitlements.
He called on farmers, agro-dealers and other stakeholders to adhere to the programme’s rules and safeguard Government’s investment in the agricultural sector.
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