Farmers unpaid as ISPAAD funds run out
Pauline Dikuelo | Friday April 7, 2017 17:16
Minister Patrick Ralotsia told BusinessWeek that farmers have not been paid their dues since late last year after the allocation for the 2016/2017 financial year finished early due to other emergencies the Ministry encountered.
According to the minister, they had to use the money for other emergencies, which included the outbreaks of the army worm and other disasters, promising farmers that they will pay their dues once the Ministry is allocated funds in the coming financial year, which starts this month.
“I know most farmers have used their money to contribute to the farming community and unfortunately they will have to wait until this financial year to get their money,” he said.
In the 2017/2018 financial year, the agricultural and food security ministry has been allocated P983.71 million to cater for the continuation of major projects such as ISPAAD and Livestock Management and Infrastructure Development (LIMID).
ISPAAD is one of the main agricultural support schemes introduced in 2008 to address challenges in the arable sub-sector of poor technology adoption by farmers and low productivity of the sub-sector.
The primary objectives are to increase grain production, promote food security at household and national levels, commercialise agriculture through mechanisation, facilitate access to farm inputs and credit, as well as improve extension outreach.
The minister said that under the programmes, farmers are provided different services which include cluster fencing, provision of potable water, provision of seeds, provision of fertilisers, draught power provision, just to mention a few.
“We need to understand that, under the programme farmers provide services in chemicals which include providing seeds, fertilisers, herbicides, draught power while the mechanical part includes provision of tractors and planters,” he said.
Further the minister added that under the programme, about 203,000 hectares, and still counting, have been ploughed.
However, he said that the recent outbreak of the army worm during the beginning of this year in the Southern parts of the country is going to affect the yield.
He said it was not easy to control the situation because of the heavy rains noting that it caused the worm to spread thus causing more damage to the yields.