More agro swindle revealed

FARMERS who were swindled by agro dealers and Ministry of Agriculture officials last farming season must report them to police so that they can be prosecuted for engaging in illicit activities, Minister of Agriculture Michael Katambo has directed.

And more farmers have come forward and complained of being swindled either by agro dealers or Ministry of Agriculture officials who claimed farmers’ contributions had disappeared. In one case, a Chisamba farmer, Ms Foster Lewanika, complained that her contribution under the e-voucher system for two farming seasons has been missing each time she went to claim. She has demanded for a refund without success and now wants the minister of Agriculture to intervene because she is losing out as farms were being prepared for cultivation. Ms Lewanika said she was ready to point at all the officers who had told her that her contribution under the e voucher had disappeared. She complained over the behaviour by Ministry of Agriculture officials and agro dealers who had been taking her money which had made her fail to buy farming inputs for two farming seasons. Ms Lewanika appealed to Mr Katambo particularly to take responsibility for his officers’ behaviour and refund her money for two seasons . However, Mr Katambo said the matter at hand was criminal therefore those who swindled farmers must face the wrath of the law. And famers in Kabwe welcomed the directive by Mr Katambo, saying that they would ensure that all crooked agro dealers were prosecuted.