UPND HAS MESSED UP FISP – CHAMA

By BARNABAS ZULU

BANGWEULU aspiring independent Member of Parliament, Reuben Chama, has strongly criticised the UPND government for what he describes as the destruction of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), particularly in the Northern region of Zambia.
Mr. Chama said the government’s failure to distribute inputs on time and in full quantities has led to inefficiencies in the programme.
In an interview, Mr. Chama highlighted the challenges farmers in his constituency are facing, particularly in Bangweulu, where the FISP has not been effective due to delayed or inadequate input distribution.
“I will cite Bangweulu Constituency where I am coming from. We have seen trends where the government has reduced quantities in terms of the farming inputs they give to farmers. When you reduce inputs, you reduce production output,” Mr. Chama said.
“The UPND is increasing the beneficiaries, but we also expected them to increase the quantity of inputs.”
He also pointed to the shift in the region’s rainfall pattern, which he believes should have led the government to prioritise the northern provinces, including Luapula and Central, to enhance food security.
“The northern region, Luapula Province, and Central Province have experienced good rainfall in the past two years. By so doing, we expected that those regions should be the hub for food security,” he said.
“We expected the government to increase input support so that they can grow more food in the region to support other seven provinces.”
He argued that the government’s current focus on areas with less rainfall for input distribution is counterproductive.
“But we have seen a scenario where the areas that are prioritised, where they are delivering inputs and increasing the inputs, have little rainfall,” Mr. Chama said.
“Look at the rainfall in the northern region, it is perfect. If at all the government can prioritise these three provinces and concentrate on them, we expect that it will definitely support other provinces.”
Reflecting on the history of FISP, Mr. Chama praised the MMD and late President Michael Sata’s administration for maintaining and expanding the programme, unlike the current administration, which he claims has undermined it.
“When you talk of FISP, MMD started this programme. Look at Michael Sata, he never tampered with FISP; he instead increased the quantities,” Mr. Chama said. “We don’t disturb a formula that’s working well. Instead, we just polish up that formula. The UPND government was never supposed to tamper with FISP. The best they could have done is to maintain and improve the programme. In the past three years, they have totally destroyed the programme.”
Mr. Chama concluded by reiterating his belief that said the UPND’s approach to the agriculture sector has been detrimental, and that the government must refocus its efforts on improving FISP to better serve farmers across Zambia.