Chadiza Farmers turn to Household Goods/Livestock to Raise Cash for Inputs

Chadiza Farmers turn to Household Goods/Livestock to Raise Cash for Inputs

Chadiza, December, 18,  ZANIS—————————More than 300 Small Scale Farmers in Chadiza district are likely to miss out from the ongoing fertilizer input support program (FISP) distributions due to late payment of their dues by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA).

The Ministry of Agriculture has started the distribution of farming inputs in various areas to small scale farmers that have deposited money for the inputs.

And a check by ZANIS in some farmer co-operatives revealed that most of the small scale farmers have not been paid their money for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency.

Some co-operatives are now asking individual farmers to sell part of their livestock and other house hold goods in order to raise some money to buy farming inputs.

Speaking on behalf of other farmers that stormed the Zambia News and Information Services-ZANIS offices in Chadiza today, Atson Sakala of Chikalipo village in Chief Zingalume’s area said the farmers have now resorted to selling house hold goods while others are selling their livestock in order to raise money to buy the farming inputs.

Mr Sakala said FRA has turned farmers into destitutes and that if the situation is not controlled quickly poverty levels in the area would increase because farmers will have sold all their live stock and other house hold goods in order to survive the critical situation that they have been subjected to.

Most of the farmers that were interviewed by ZANIS expressed worry that they now have to look for money to buy inputs and also to look for money for their school going children since they were just remaining with tree weeks before schools reopen in January.