Small Scale Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) has rejected the re-introduction of the electronic[E] voucher system, citing that it is ineffective to farmers in rural areas.
In an interview with Lusaka star, SAFADA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Boyd Moobwe said despite the agency being aware of the introduction of the E-voucher system, they feel very uncomfortable with the use of the voucher due to the network system.
“The E-voucher is a great initiative but it will affect people who stay in areas with very bad networks as it will be hard for them to access the farming inputs,” Mr. Moobwe said.
He said that the E-voucher was not effective when the Patriotic Front (PF) administration introduced it due to the network system.
“Our farmers previously experienced a lot of hiccups with accessing the fertilizer which came with a lot of challenges because many of them live in places that are very far from proper network,” he said.
Mr. Moobwe further urged government to ensure that farmers collect farming inputs in time.
Meanwhile, Agricultural expert Oliver Bulaya commended government for the early distribution of farming inputs for 2024/25 farming season.
“This a good move because we have been advocating for the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute the inputs early in order to produce better and health yields,” Dr. Bulaya said.
Fertilizer disbursement for the 2024-2025 farming season has commenced with North-Western Province being the first to receive the fertilizer through the E-voucher system.