Agricultural engineer and commercial farmer Gift Mpundu has called for the establishment of an irrigation system regulation board to protect farmers from fake and substandard irrigation equipment flooding the Zambian market.
Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times—ZBT, Mpundu said the growing availability of counterfeit drip irrigation systems is threatening farm productivity, farmer incomes, and national food security.
He revealed that he recently visited several agricultural input stores while searching for drip irrigation systems and discovered products being sold at unrealistically low prices. “There is absolutely no way a roll of 0.4mm x 16mm x 1,000m dripline should cost K800, because that is not a bargain but a glaring red flag, and the mathematics simply does not add up for a quality product that can last several farming seasons,” said Mpundu.
He warned that many of the cheap irrigation products entering the market are designed to fail, resulting in clogged pipes, burst driplines, uneven water distribution, and poor crop performance. “This is more than just a bad purchase because it is sabotage of our food security and our farmers’ livelihoods,” said Mpundu.
Meanwhile, he questioned how counterfeit irrigation equipment continues to find its way into the country without stronger regulation and quality enforcement. Mpundu told ZBT that Zambia needs a dedicated irrigation systems regulation board to enforce product standards, protect farmers from predatory suppliers, and ensure only certified irrigation technologies reach the market.
He further urged farmers to resist the temptation of buying irrigation equipment solely because it is cheap, saying prices that appear too good to be true often result in higher production losses. “Our farmers deserve technology that works, standards that are enforced, and a market free from predatory deception; therefore, they must demand quality, ask for specifications, and buy from reputable suppliers because their farms are businesses that deserve reliable investments,” said Mpundu.
By Philip Sinkala
