By 
The Catholic Church in Eastern Province has expressed sadness over the continued non-payment of farmers for crops delivered to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the 2025 marketing season.
In a statement issued in Chipata on Friday, Bishop of the Diocese of Chipata, Rt. Rev. George Lungu, said many farmers across the province were still waiting for their payments despite earlier government assurances.
Bishop Lungu said farmers had been forced to endure long and tiring queues at banks, often spending hours or days trying to access money owed to them.
He noted that many had used their limited resources on transport, food and accommodation to deliver crops meant to support national food security.
He criticised the government for failing to meet its January 10 deadline for settling outstanding payments, saying the delays had pushed many families into hunger and rising economic hardship.
The Bishop added that some parents were now unable to support their children’s education due to the prolonged wait.
Lungu also condemned what he described as the silence of farmers’ unions, saying organisations tasked with defending farmers’ rights had failed to speak out.
He warned that continued delays threatened both food security and the ethical fabric of the nation.
The Bishop urged the government and the Ministry of Agriculture to urgently establish a humane, transparent and efficient system to clear all pending payments.
He said justice and national development could not be achieved without treating farmers with dignity and fairness.
“Justice delayed is justice denied. Respect for the farmer is respect for life itself,” he said.
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