Dear Editor
We are almost in December and the rain has already started in all parts of the country but many farmers have no input for this farming season.
Government is mute to tell Zambians farmers what is going on in the Agriculture sector.
Farmers are men and women who feed the entire Zambian population and also other neighboring countries.
The truth is that the previous government had advertised well before August 12, 2021 and had approved some contractors to buy input for 2022/2023 farming season and three contractors did its best to buy inputs in advance and these were shipped to Dubai.
Unfortunately the new dawn government decided to blacklist the three named contractors because of their alliances and allegiance to the previous regime.
Government even refused those three contractors to deliver already bought inputs.
The three contractors decided to ship deliver and sell the inputs to other countries.
The war in Ukraine has also contributed to this SAGE because Zambia imports its farming inputs from Ukraine but that should not be the excuse of finding other means.
The new dawn government finger pointed some contractors to import inputs hence this Sage in which farmers have been found in. currently Zambians input are marooned at Beira port in Mozambique.
But my question is which one is better, advertise and pick the best contractor or finger pointing at some contractor because they are part of the new system?
Politician should differentiate politics from real economic issues because the grass roots will suffer.
SB Kalaba
Political analyst
