Maravi

Gwembe gets top-dressing fertiliser under FSP

Gwembe gets top-dressing fertiliser under FSP
By Miriam Zimba in Gwembe
Monday August 11, 2008 [04:00]

GWEMBE district has received 600 x 50kg bags of top dressing fertiliser, under the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP), for the 2008-2009 farming season. Senior agricultural officer Damiano Malambo said the consignment could not be distributed immediately to farmers as the district was still awaiting the arrival of basal-dressing (Compound D) and maize seed.

Malambo said the consignment of fertiliser received in the district was expected to benefit 21 farmer co-operatives, out of the existing 51.

Malambo explained that as soon as the remaining consignment of fertiliser and seed were received, a meeting would be held between the District Agriculture Committee (DAC) and the farmer co-operatives in order to identify the beneficiaries of the fertiliser.

Meanwhile, acting district commissioner Mathias Fundi described the FSP inputs received in Gwembe as insufficient.

"Looking at the number of farmers in Gwembe, and going by their willingness to be food secure, the 600 bags of fertiliser received, is not enough," he explained.

Fundi said the district had early this year requested for 1000 packs of fertiliser, adding that another request had been made to have another 400 packs, in order to meet the targeted 1000 packs.

Labels: DAMIANO MALAMBE, FSP, GWEMBE DISTRICT

posted by MrK @ 4:29 AM