COME UP WITH A CLEAR AGRICULTURAL POLICY, PF TELLS UPND

THE UPND government must come up with a clear policy on Agriculture Support Programme so that Zambians, particularly the vulnerable, but viable farmers can understand its position on food security and poverty alleviation, the Patriotic Front (PF) has said.

PF Copperbelt chairman Nathan Chanda said information that some old vulnerable, but viable farmers have been removed from the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) will not only worsen poverty and hunger in the country, but will adversely affect food security.

In an interview in Luanshya yesterday, Mr Chanda said the UPND government must take a lot of things into consideration before removing some vulnerable, but viable farmers from FISP.

He said such a decision may affect the main source of livelihood for more than 80 percent of the population living in rural areas and employees about 70 percent of the total labour force.

“The move taken by whoever made a decision to remove old vulnerable farmers from FISP will just create more poverty for the vulnerable, but viable farmers in various parts of the country. These vulnerable farmers are mostly retirees.

“So it is very unfortunate to see and hear the harsh move taken by the government against the old and poor retirees some of whom get as little as K150 per month for their living from their pension scheme,’’ Mr Chanda said.

Mr Chanda said, instead of removing vulnerable but viable farmers from FISP, the best thing the UPND government should have done to prove its desire to promote food security and alleviate poverty was to increase the number of FISP beneficiaries.