Africa-Press – Zambia. Police in Mkushi district along with the District Commissioner quelled a protest from angry farmers who demanded for speedy distribution of Urea fertilizer.
Mkushi District Commissioner Jonathan Kapungwe said that the incident occurred at the government complex where the offices of DC as well as District Agriculture Coordinating Officer(DACO) are located.
Mr. Kapungwe explained that the irate farmers besieged the offices as they were following up on the issue of delayed distribution of Urea fertilizer from the 2022—2023 FISP(Farmer Input Support Program) exercise.
The District Commissioner described the farmers as being aggressive, and that quick intervention by the police whom he had brought into the fray helped quell the situation with the farmers.
In addressing the farmers, Mr. Kapungwe directed that the task of redeeming the farmers for collecting the fertilizer, should be transferred from the current contracted agency to the DACO’s office.
One of the farmers, Novix Chipabila of Musakamba agricultural camp, narrated that the farmers were pacified by the direct address in which the DC assured that the process would be quickened by involving the office of the DACO .
Mr. Chipabila said that the District Commissioner’s address and presence of Police officers, cooled the mood of the farmers. He maintained that the mood had been precipitated by apprehension as the maize crop had now reached above knee level, saying that further delays in Urea distribution could lead to low harvest.
He said that the anger from the farmers had been mounting over the past few weeks, adding that the anger is directed towards the suppliers involved in the distribution of this fertilizer.
Meanwhile Mkushi’s Acting District Agricultural Coordinating Officer(DACO) Ackim Milimo told ZANIS that the District has 2, 415 by 50kg bags of FISP D-compound allocation.
Mr. Milimo said that a similar quantity of Urea fertilizer is expected to arrive soon, to complete the 4,830 bags of fertilisers that have been allocated to this District for the 2022/2023 farming season.
He said that 16,101 farmers have been earmarked to benefit from the FISP exercise, drawn from all the 35 agricultural camps that are spread out in the 7 agricultural blocks.
He further said that the FISP allocation also includes 161 metric tonnes of maize seed from which each beneficiary will receive a 10kg bag of maize seed.
Mr. Milimo said that farmers would also be given option for legume seed as the District has been allocated 161 metric tonnes of soya bean seed, together with a similar quantity of ground nut seed.
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