CHIEF HAILS STATE OVER 1 MILLION FISP BENEFICIARIES

MAINTAINING the number of beneficiaries on the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP) in the 2020 national budget despite the economic challenges, will help promote food security in the nation amidst climate change, Chief Luchembe of Mpika has said.

Chief Luchembe said it was the right decision by Government to maintain FISP’s one million beneficiaries as increasing it would create an additional cost to the nation in the wake of the climate change. He said the weather pattern had change and some parts of the country were not receiving enough rainfall hence the need to channel the FISP to areas with good rainfall. Chief Luchembe advised the government to distribute the inputs to areas that were receiving good rains so that it could be properly utilized to benefit the country. “Let us harness the areas that are receiving good rainfall so that the inputs are properly utilised to produce more rather than just distributing it for the sake of it. Otherwise the FISP programe is ok as long as it is done in the right way,” Chief Luchembe said. Meanwhile, the chief said Members of Parliament need to take it upon themselves to explain the FISP and other government programmes to the people so they understand them. And Chief Chikwanda has congratulated the Ministry of Finance planning team for maintaining the number of beneficiaries of FISP in the wake of climatic change. The chief observed that some parts of the northern region, including parts of his district Mpika, according to the Meteorological Department, were unlikely to receive good rains this year. He said it would be a waste of resources to take the inputs to such areas rather than distribute it in areas likely to receive good rainfall so they could maximize their crop production for the benefit of the entire nation.