Mambwe DC orders probe into abuse of FSP farming inputs

Mambwe DC orders probe into abuse of FSP farming inputs
Written by Mathias Zulu in Mambwe
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 1:20:53 PM

MAMBWE district commissioner John Chilowa has directed the district agriculture coordinator to conduct thorough investigations on reports of abuse of FSP farming inputs this season.

Chilowa issued a directive following the disappearance of 120 bags of fertiliser and 15 by 10 kilogramme bags of seed believed to be for Luwaneni Co-operative and the impounding of 59 by 50 kilogramme bags of fertiliser which were about to be smuggled out of the district.

He confiscated the bags of fertiliser a week ago from an unregistered canter truck after a tip-off from members of the community.

In a later dated December 26, 2008, addressed to the district agriculture coordinator and copied to the Eastern Province permanent secretary and provincial agriculture Coordinator and made available to the National Agricultural Information Services, Chilowa expressed great disappointment at the manner in which the FSP programme was handled.

He stated that the mishandling of the FSP farming inputs had resulted in the district losing a good number of bags which had been smuggled to other districts for re-sale.

“You are no doubt aware of the government’s deliberate policy of alleviating hunger and poverty through programmes like the Fertiliser Support Programme,” stated Chilowa.

“I, however, wish to register my utmost disappointment at the way the programme was handled. This has definitely resulted in the district losing a good number of bags which have been smuggled to other districts for re-sale.”

Records from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives in Mambwe show that the district received 3, 584 Compound D and 3, 584 Urea for the 2008/2009 farming season.

The amount received plus balances from the previous farming season brought the total number of inputs in the district to 3, 948 and 4, 069 for basal and top dressing fertiliser respectively.

The district targeted 1, 002 farmers but some farmers, despite paying for the inputs, had not received the fertiliser.