Farmers still wait for solutions to FISP, ADMARC problems

Farmers remain at the centre of concerns over the implementation of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), ADMARC grain management and the decline of the cotton sector raised during the latest parliamentary sitting.

The issues were contained in a report by the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Irrigation which was considered and adopted by Parliament during the Third Meeting of the 52nd Session.

Leader of the House Jappie Mhango said committee reports were important in identifying challenges and informing government policy and action.

“It is my hope that these statutory reports will be thoroughly scrutinized by the Committees concerned and reports on the findings will be tabled in this House which will inform the policy directions of various issues raised in these reports,” Mhango said.

The agricultural concerns are significant for rural households that depend on farming for food and income, particularly amid challenges surrounding access to inputs, crop marketing and declining agricultural sectors.

The committee’s findings now put pressure on relevant authorities to address weaknesses in agricultural programmes and ensure farmers benefit from government interventions.

Mhango urged parliamentary committees to work diligently on reports so that concerns raised in Parliament can contribute to policy decisions and improved service delivery.