Stakeholders demand Fisp reforms

FATSANI GUNYA

Correspondent

A report by Kalondolondo Programme has discovered that the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) will remain “a failed intervention” unless efforts are made to work on itschallenges.

 This was discovered last week at the Bingu International Conference Centre in Lilongwe during a report dissemination workshop on the initiative by Kalondolondo Programme.

Some findings of the report are challenges rocking the government-initiated programme that include nepotism, flaws in security, logistics and political interference.

Stakeholders at the Friday meeting were also split into two with some calling for removal of the programme, while others called for a universal one. The latter claimed the current targeted system tends to benefit sympathisers of ruling parties. 

Vice-President Khumbo Kachali, while reiterating government’s vow to carry on with the programme, admitted at a rally in Mchinji on Saturday the presence of “massive corruption tendencies across the board that need to be addressed immediately”. 

But speaking at the Friday meeting, chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, David Luka, suggested that the initiative be legislated to achieve sustainability.

He also argued that it is difficult to stop the malpractices as the country does not have specific remedies for such culprits in the absence of a clear legislation. 

“Making some laws on running the programme will not only ensure sustainability by deterring political interference; it will also empower the judiciary to effectively deal with perpetrators of various malpractices,” Luka said. 

As part of its recommendations, Kalondolondo called on government to reconsider reverting its fiscal year to the April-March cycle. 

Its programme manager, Jephther Mwanza, said this will enable beneficiaries get necessary inputs “in time”, which he says will bring in effectiveness. 

He cited that various studies his organisation commissioned discovered that many farmers got seed and fertilisers late in the season, which resulted in decimal or no yields. 

Meanwhile, secretary for Agriculture Wilfred Lipita said government does not have the funds to roll out a universal farm input subsidy programme, as is being called for by various quarters.