Failure to include new cooperatives on FISP disappoints Chikankata MP

Failure to include new cooperatives on FISP disappoints Chikankata MP
By George Zulu in Pemba
Tue 24 Nov. 2009, 04:00 CAT

CHIKANKATA UPND member of parliament Munji Habenzu has expressed disappointment over the government’s failure to include new cooperatives on the list of beneficiaries in this year's Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in most parts of Southern Province.

In an interview in Pemba, Habeenzu said he was disappointed with the manner the MMD government was handling the FISP exercise.

He said after small-scale farmers had done all the formalities to form cooperatives in order to access inputs as enshrined in the new system, they were told that new cooperatives would not access the farming inputs.

“This is very bad because initially when this programme started farmers were supposed to graduate to leave room for other viable small-scale farmers to benefit from the government sponsored programme but this principle is what even government officers have failed to follow by allowing same people to continue receiving inputs year in year out,” Habeenzu said.

He said the government had increased the number of beneficiaries for the FISP from 250,000 in the last season to 500,000 small-scale farmers but wondered why new cooperatives were not eligible.

Habeenzu said the government should explain the modalities to be used for farmers to benefit from the exercise, adding that keeping quiet and sending them back was not a solution but a frustration on the part of poor farmers who entirely depended on the assistance from government to produce crops.

“It is very unfair this programme is not taking us anywhere. If government has already failed to run this programme, let them abandon it than punishing people who are ready to make a change on their livelihood through agriculture.

What these people including Dr. Brian Chituwo, Minister of Agriculture, should know is that President Rupiah Banda announced the increase of beneficiaries during his address to parliament and indicated that more people should benefit and if they are not allowing newly formed cooperatives to access inputs, where are they going to get people to access inputs?” asked Habeenzu.

He said the FISP had already shown signs of failure in the manner it was being handled through the selection of beneficiaries and the distribution of inputs, saying it was painful that the ruling MMD seemed not to learn from past mistakes.

“This seems to be another failed FSP in the changed name FISP, I don't know what this government is doing, it can't learn from the previous mistakes. Let minister Chituwo resign if he has failed to handle the programme. Let him step down if he has failed to give directions on the programme.

What we want is to see poor people but viable farmers benefit from the programme not to send people back because they have just formed a cooperative. It is not only Mazabuka but even in Monze, Choma and Gweembe, even Namwala, farmers are sent back. Government officials are only considering old cooperatives,” said Habeenzu.