Newly elected Lumwana Member of Parliament, Mathews Mashimamgo has applauded the government for the timely payment of farmers selling maize to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), saying the new payment system allows farmers to receive their money within three days.
Speaking during a spot check at the Mutanda FRA Depot in Kalumbila District, Mr Mashimamgo said the prompt payments would enable farmers to invest their earnings in other businesses as they prepare for the next farming season.
Mr Mashimamgo also assured farmers that the challenge of constructing a concrete slab at the Mutanda FRA Depot would be addressed.
He said a contractor would be engaged next year with support from the community to improve the depot and provide farmers with a better environment in which to sell their maize.
Mr Mashimamgo further appealed to the government to consider opening more FRA depots in the constituency to improve access for farmers travelling from distant areas.
“As we get to Parliament, we will appeal to the President through the Ministry of Agriculture to open more FRA depots to ease access for farmers coming from far distances such as Kamiba, Mushingashi, Kayonge and Kananga,” he said.
Mr Mashimamgo said opening additional depots would help address the challenges faced by farmers who currently have to travel long distances to sell their produce.
He added that his office would continue visiting FRA depots across the constituency to obtain first-hand information on the challenges farmers are facing.
“We are going round to all depots in our constituency to have first-hand information and see what is happening on the ground,” he said.
Meanwhile, a farmer, Anna Shakopo thanked the government for purchasing maize from farmers and implementing the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP).
Ms Shakopo said the new payment system had made it easier for farmers to access their money through banks and mobile phones.
“We thank the government for the new payment system. We can now receive our money through the bank and mobile phone,” she said.
She said previously, farmers had to spend long hours and sometimes sleep at banks while waiting to access payments from the FRA.
Ms Shakopo added that the improved payment system together with timely FISP-related payments and FRA funds had reduced the need for farmers to travel long distances to collect their money.
Another farmer, Friday Matebo, thanked the government for the initiatives being implemented to support farmers and called for an increase in the FISP allocation.
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