Farmers warned against sale of subsidised inputs

The National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Public Trust has asked farmers earmarked to benefit from the 2014/15 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) to desist from selling the inputs, saying the practice defeats the purpose of the initiative.

Government has this year allocated K50.8 billion to Fisp, which targeting 1.5 million resource-challenged farming families with subsidised fertilisers and seeds to enable them yield enough for consumption.

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the training for Southern Region civic education officers last week, Nice national programme manager, Gray Kalindekafe, noted that the country is failing to realise its goal of eradicating food shortages because some farmers are abusing the inputs.

He said his organisation is committed to assisting government fight against the malpractice to ensure zero abuse of the facility.

“Nice is very concerned that farmers are abusing the initiative that was intended to improve their livelihoods. Hence, we’re undertaking [an initiative] to sensitise beneficiaries to the aim and cost of this programme on the taxpayer because we believe most of them are ignorant about the cost taxpayers bear for them to have those inputs,” he said.