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Economist Kelvin Chisanga has urged the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to ensure transparency, efficiency and fairness during the 2026 crop marketing season, warning that any irregularities in maize procurement could erode public confidence and disadvantage genuine smallholder farmers.
Commenting on the marketing season in a statement issued on Sunday, Chisanga said Zambia’s bumper maize harvest of about 5.1 million tonnes presented the FRA with a major opportunity to strengthen food security, but also a critical operational test.
“The agency’s immediate priority should be to purchase maize quickly, pay farmers on time and minimise post-harvest losses,” he said.
Chisanga, however, stressed that the FRA’s performance should not be judged solely by the volume of maize it purchases but also by the integrity of the procurement process.
Read more: Food Reserve Agency sets K347 floor price for maize as 2026 crop buying begins
He called for the strict enforcement of the first-come, first-served principle, saying allegations that some farmers were being bypassed in favour of politically connected individuals, middlemen or people making unofficial payments for preferential access should be independently investigated.
“Such practices could undermine stakeholder confidence in public procurement and disadvantage genuine smallholder farmers,” he said.
Chisanga noted that with the FRA buying maize at about K347 per 50-kilogramme bag, substantial public funds were involved, making strong oversight essential.
He said the agency should strengthen controls at buying depots through effective farmer registration, accurate weighing systems, proper issuance of receipts, timely payments and regular stock reconciliation.
Chisanga also encouraged the FRA to embrace technology to improve transparency and accountability in the procurement process.
He said digital farmer registration, electronic payment systems and publicly displayed daily purchasing schedules could significantly reduce opportunities for manipulation.
Chisanga said the FRA must operate as both a commercially efficient institution and one that upholds the highest standards of integrity.
He cautioned that farmers should not require political connections, personal relationships or unofficial payments to sell their maize to the agency.
“The success of this marketing season should ultimately be judged by how quickly FRA purchases maize, how promptly farmers are paid, and how fairly every farmer is treated,” Mr Chisanga said.
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