Leading Agro non-governmental organisation Musika says it has not been part of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in its current form for the past three years, but was in support of the initial electronic voucher FISP (e-FISP).
Musika which was formed following the successful market development interventions achieved under the USAID-PROFIT private sector development programme, which was run in Zambia for more than seven years by a consortium of two USA-based organisations, NBCA-CLUSA and Cardno has stated that they rather supported the e-FISP approach.
Musika Corporate Affairs Manager Pamela Hamasaka noted that the organisation participated actively during the incorporation of the agribusinesses side in terms of agro dealers as it actively participated in the capacity building of the agro dealers so that they could actively participate in the initial design of the FISP programme.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Hamasaka clarified that the Agro NGO the last time they actively supported and participated in the FISP was three years ago, she stated that Musika specifically focused on supporting the E-FISP approach.
The e-FISP approach is different from the traditional FISP approach. Under the conventional FISP, government distributes only seed and fertiliser, but under e-FISP, farmers chose what they require. Those in livestock can purchase feed while others can get farming implements
Under e-FISP, registered farmers receive the input subsidy through pre-paid bank cards or electronic vouchers as opposed to receiving physical inputs centrally procured by Government. Moreover, the e-FISP improves beneficiary targeting and promotes timely access to inputs by increasing private sector participation.
The FISP ‘E-voucher’ programme has the potential to accelerate diversification of the smallholder sector by allowing farmers to purchase a wide range of recommended inputs such as veterinary drugs, agricultural equipment, livestock, poultry and fingerlings.
The new government led by President Hakainde Hichilema has halted the distribution of inputs which is done under the conventional method and stakeholders are whispering to ZBT that there are plans to scrap the program.
However, other Agro stakeholders say the program has largely been successful a-bait having some areas for improvement such as now switching to the full e-FISP system as the extended mobile network coverage has massively expanded and that mobile money growth also offers the banking side that had posed challenges when conventional banks were initially engaged.
