By KASONDE KASONDE –
THE ministry of Agriculture has said about 193,000 farmers under the Electronic Voucher (e-voucher) system have received their farming inputs for the 2015-2016 farming season.
Agriculture Deputy Minister Maxus Ng’onga said about 192,800 farmers, which is 80 per cent of the farmers in the 13 districts who were placed on the e-voucher system, had received their farming inputs.
Mr Ng’onga said the remaining farmers who had been listed to receive their e-voucher cards but had not yet got them would do so by the end of the week.
Those who had not received the cards were in some parts of Kalomo, Kabwe and Chongwe.
Mr Ng’onga said the banks were working hard to ensure that all the farmers received the cards.
“Over 192,800, which represents 80 per cent of the farmers in the 13 districts who were placed on the e-voucher system for the 2015-2016 farming season have received the cards and collected the farming inputs from the various agro dealers,” he said.
He said Government was working hand in hand with the banks and the farmers’ union in an effort to speed up the issuance of cards and inputs to the farmers.
He urged all beneficiaries to take advantage of the new system to buy inputs of their choice in a timely manner and improve agricultural productivity in the country.
Mr Ng’onga said the e-voucher system was going on smoothly in all the 13 districts and that farmers were happy with the initiative.
President Edgar Lungu launched the e-voucher system in October, this year, for 241,000 farmers in selected districts across the country.
There were plans to roll out the system to more districts to cover additional beneficiaries for the 2016/2017 agricultural season and beyond.
Mr Ng’onga also said Government had so far distributed 95 per cent of the farming inputs to farmers under the ordinary Farmer Input Support Programme.