Kalabo District has switched from the Electronic voucher (E-voucher) to Direct Input Supply system under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Acting District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) John Kapela says the Direct Input Supply system is meant to ensure efficiency in the distribution of subsidised inputs and better serve the needs of smallholder farmers.
Mr Kapela told ZANIS that the switch has been necessitated by irregularities experienced during the supply of E-voucher inputs during the 2017-2018 farming season.
The agriculturalist said 310 farmers are earmarked to benefit from the new system whose smart features have been derived from both E-voucher and conventional FISP.
He said just like e-voucher, Direct Input Supply system supports online transactions via Zambia Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (ZIAMIS) where beneficiary farmers’ entries are able to be tracked and analyzed in real-time.
Mr Kapela explained that each farmer would now be eligible to collect a maize pack comprising of 10 kilogrammes maize seed, 150 kilogrammes D-Compound and 150 kilogrammes Urea fertilizer.
He added that each farmer would also collect five kilograms of sorghum, groundnuts or cowpeas any of which comes with 50 kilograms D-Compound and 50 kilograms Urea fertilizer.
Mr Kapela has since urged beneficiary farmers to deposit their K400 kwacha initial contribution for their names to be activated and be granted authority to collect K2, 000 kwacha worthy of subsidized seed and fertilizer as well as K100 kwacha insurance/ZANIS.
