PS fails to answer questions on FSP

PS fails to answer questions on FSP
Written by Ernest Chanda
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 3:50:34 PM

THE parliamentary committee on agriculture and lands yesterday sent back agriculture permanent secretary Bernard Namachila for failing to answer some questions on the performance of the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP).

Committee chairperson Request Muntanga asked Namachila to reappear before the committee with other stakeholders so that he could give answers to all the questions raised by committee members.

This was after Namachila had earlier on said the FSP had worked well in response to Mwinilunga East UPND member of parliament Stephen Katuka who wanted to know the permanent secretary's personal assessment of the programme.

In response, Namachila said the programme had worked well, but later admitted that it had some administrative flaws.

"Yes, indeed the Fertiliser Support Programme has been very successful. Like I alluded to in my submission, it has helped increase food production in various households. It has also successfully increased the number of small-scale farmers at household level. But it doesn't mean that it has completely succeeded. It has a number of failures that have completely tarnished the image of the programme. It doesn't mean that the programme has failed, but it's just a few issues, one of them administration that have let the programme down," Namachila said.

"The manner in which the programme has been handled has not been very good. People have complained against the procedure used to select beneficiaries, but not the programme itself. If we can improve on the selection of beneficiaries and the method of distributing the inputs, then the whole programmme will be a success."

Namachila's response raised a lot of questions from committee members who wanted to know whether he was admiting that the FSP had failed, as observed by small-scale farmers.

When asked by Lukashya Patriotic Front member of parliament Alfreda Mwamba on why the ministry had left out the Zambia Cooperative Federation in the FSP and why he was arguing that people were not travelling long distances to collect fertiliser, Namachila was at pains to give clear answers.

Namachila said: "For most of the issues pointed out, I may not be able to answer them now, they point to weaknesses. For example, I agree that we have not involved the Zambia Coorperative Federation, but we will need time to consult with other stakeholders."

At this point, Mwamba cautioned Namachila against appearing before the committee with a defensive attitude.

"Don't come here with a defensive position, we won't make progress. For example, you justified the performance of the FSP when the farmers have recommended that it be scrapped off. Let's be realistic because everyone is concerned about the FSP. People who are directly affected by this have complained and the position we are about to take as a comittee is long overdue," Mwamba said.

At this point Namachila promised to consult, saying the ministry did not have the monopoly of wisdom.

Muntanga later asked Namachila to appear again before the committee, together with other stakeholders.

"PS, I'm asking you to come on the 6th of May with other stakeholders, and all of them will come under you since you are the controlling officer. We have told them to submit to you all their concerns and please advise your other PS to give us a detailed report on the status of fish population in the country. We want people from ZCF and others to be here with you so that we sort things once and for all," said Muntanga.