Govt Sees Need for FISP Extention

30 April 2011

GOVERNMENT has said there is need for enhanced extension services to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) beneficiaries to ensure increased crop production.

Copperbelt Province Permanent Secretary Villie Lombanya said in Ndola yesterday that the need for enhanced extension provision to FISP beneficiaries could not be over emphasised because the lack of suchsupport led to poor crop yields.

Mr Lombanya was speaking during the Northern region 2010-2011 season FISP review meeting held at Savoy Hotel and attended by District Commissioners from four provinces.

He said appropriate extension services should be strengthened to all crops especially in those areas where the programme had been supporting farmers to productively utilise the subsidised packs.

“I am urging District Commissioners to assist in informing farmers to increase their yields per area grown of whatever crop that is being planted and monitor the officers in their provision of extension services,” he said.

Mr Lombanya said the implementation of the FISP in the 2010-2011 season was generally good and that the programme increased beneficiaries from 500, 000 in the 2009-2010 season to 891, 500 farmers.

He thanked the district commissioners and agricultural officers involved in the successful implementation of the programe expressed hope of an even better coming season.

“It is gratifying to note that so far feedback from the districts hasbeen positive over the ministry’s decision to introduce a uniformprice for all seed varieties,” he said.

Mr Lombanya said this had helped reduced incidents of over depositing by farmers for the purchase of the seed, which in turn caused problems for officers reconciling revenue collections.

He urged the review participants to make relevant contributions that would help improve the FISP programme in coming seasons.

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