By ALICE NACHILEMBE
The Government has officially initiated the distribution of more than 54,000 bags of fertilizer to Chingola District as part of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) for the 2023/2024 farming season.
The district has received a total of 27,297 bags of D-Compound, each weighing 50 kg, and an equal number of bags of urea fertilizer.
Chingola District Commissioner, Raphael Chimupi, disclosed that there are 9,099 beneficiaries belonging to various cooperatives, who are the recipients of these agricultural inputs.
Mr. Chimupi expressed his appreciation to the government for providing farmers with three bags of D-Compound, three bags of urea fertilizer, 4,549 bags of 25 kg soya beans, 4,580 bags of 20 kg soybeans, and 9,099 bags of 10 kg maize seeds for the current farming season.
He encouraged farmers to use these inputs for their intended purposes and called on the local farming community to increase their yields to ensure food security.
Furthermore, Mr. Chimupi cautioned against the illegal sale of fertilizer to other farmers. Chingola Mayor Johnson Kang’ombe emphasized the government’s commitment to timely input distribution and encouraged farmers to pay the required K400 into the FISP account to ensure they receive the inputs promptly.
Champo Choka, one of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the government and local leadership for the early delivery of these vital inputs. She urged fellow farmers to use the fertilizer as intended, not for resale but for their own farming needs.
Lovemore Daka, the Chingola District Agriculture Coordinating Officer (DACO), reported that 90 percent of the farmers have already deposited funds in the FISP account and are ready to collect the inputs.
He emphasized the readiness of distribution officers and encouraged farmers to apply these resources in their fields to improve their agricultural prospects. All systems are in place, and distribution is prepared to commence.
