Revert to FISP 100p.c. pay out system`

THE Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) has urged Government to revert the Farming Input Support Programme (FISP) from the 40:60 percentage ratio approach to initial 100 percent e-voucher distribution system.

PMRC Executive, Bernadette Deka Zulu, said there were notable successes and challenges the recorded in the implementation of the FISP through the e-voucher system. “In this Infographic, the Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) urges Government to revert to implementing FISP from the 40:60 percentage ratio approach in which 40 per cent of the farmers on FISP received their inputs through the Direct Input Supply (DIS) for the 2018/2019 farming season to the initial 100 per cent e-voucher distribution system,” Ms Zulu said Ms Zulu said there had been a growing need to differentiate the DIS from the e-Voucher and this had been presented in the infographic. “The assumption by various stakeholders is that the DIS is similar to the e-voucher, whereas in reality, it is essentially the traditional mode of FISP distribution only differentiated by one major aspect, which is the use of the enhanced Zambia Integrated Agriculture Management Information System (ZIAMIS) platform,” Ms Zulu said She said analysis had revealed that all processes in the DIS were the same as those of the traditional FISP mode of input distribution system. “The infographic further states the case for Government to prioritise the further improvement of e-voucher and revert to the country wide implementation of the system, as opposed to the current 40/60 DIS/e-Voucher implementation approach,” Ms Zulu said.