Minister explains e-voucher usage in drought areas

THE Electronic (e) Voucher system is being used in drought hit areas to ensure farmers get inputs of their choice in the wake of climate change, Agriculture Miinister Michael Katambo has said. Mr Katambo said the e-voucher system being implemented in Southern Province and other drought hit areas was not a political move but meant to give farmers a wider choice of inputs. He noted that with the e-voucher system, farmers could choose to buy medicines for their livestock or choose to venture into growing cassava or other crops from maize. The Minister was responding to a question by Chikankata Member of Parliament Kabwe Mwiinga who wanted to know whether Government is aware that the number of bags of fertilizer in Chikankata has been reduced from six to four under the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) "Our officers have recommended that we give farmers the e-voucher. The survival of farmers is to give them money which is not just tied to fertilizer alone. Farmers can have a choice to go into livestock or aquaculture. Why give them fertilizer when there is no rain ?" Mr Katambo asked. He highlighted that there were 40 districts under the e-voucher system with over 335,000 beneficiaries. The Minister also urged Members of Parliament (MPs) to help sensitive farmers in their communities on right prices of inputs. He was responding to a question from Katombora MP Derrick Livune who wanted to know what the Ministry of Agriculture is doing to ensure that farmers are not exploited by agro dealers. "Extension officers are advising farmers to buy from agro dealers who are selling fertiliser cheaply. Government can not control prices of inputs as that would amount to price con