Redirect FISP to climate-safe regions, govt urged
By Thandizo Banda
GOVERNMENT must redirect the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) inputs to climate-resilient regions to mitigate El Niño risks and achieve the 10 million metric tonnes maize target in the 2026/27 season, National Smallholder Farmers Association of Zambia (NASFAZ) executive director Dr Frank Kayula has said.
In an interview with The Mast, Dr Kayula said government should prioritise the deployment of FISP to Northern, Luapula, Muchinga, Eastern, Central and Copperbelt provinces, which were forecast to receive normal to above normal rainfall.
“For areas expected to receive below-normal rainfall such as Southern, Lusaka and Western Provinces, farmers must adopt conservation farming methods, use organic materials, and practice early planting to minimise losses,” Dr Kayula said.
Former Minister of Agriculture Bob Sichinga said priority was critical at the moment to enhance national and regional food security.
Sichinga said a blanket input distribution model was no longer viable in a climate-volatile environment.
“With El Niño conditions expected to disrupt rainfall in parts of the country this season, a blanket input distribution model poses a fiscal and food security risk. A blanket approach no longer works. Government must concentrate resources where the probability of a return is highest. That is how you protect both the budget and household food security,” he said.
Sichinga said deployment in the targeted regions must be supported by irrigation development, early land preparation, mechanisation and timely delivery of inputs.
He urged Government to reposition agriculture as a profitable enterprise and the mainstay of rural economies by investing in value chain infrastructure.
“Because rainfall is God-given and beyond policy control, public investment should focus on de-risking mechanisms. These include storage facilities, feeder roads, aggregation centers, and access to affordable finance for smallholders,” he said.
Sichinga also said post-harvest losses and poor market access continued to erode farmer incomes despite good harvests.
Sichinga said for the government to reach the 10 million metric tonnes maize target, planning must be deliberate and input-led.
“If you mess up on input distribution, no matter how good the weather is, you will not get the desired outcome,” he said.
He said trade must shift from volume-driven to value-driven maize exports by targeting regional and international markets with higher margins and lower logistical costs.
“Government should also negotiate trade agreements that guarantee price stability for Zambian farmers. Our farmers must not just produce more. They must produce profitably. That means better inputs, better infrastructure, and better markets,” he said.
