Food Reserve Agency (FRA) has procured 158,112 metric tonnes of crops from 71,874 farmers in Luapula Province, injecting over K508 million into the region’s local economy.
Luapula Province Principal Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Maseko, further revealed that Nchelenge District has completed payments to all farmers, setting a benchmark for timely settlement.
Meanwhile, Mr. Maseko observed that the Province has recorded major milestones in the 2025/2026 Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), as 95 percent of targeted farmers have collected their farming inputs.
In a statement, he disclosed that 58,503 farmers have so far accessed their inputs, with the remaining five percent expected to complete collection by the end of December 2025.
Mr. Maseko noted that the development demonstrates Government’s commitment to timely, equitable and efficient delivery of agricultural support services across the province.
“Lunga District has achieved 100 percent input collection, while Chipili, Kawambwa and Mwense districts have each surpassed 99 percent, owing to strong coordination and effective last-mile delivery systems,” he noted.
He added that progress has also been made in mechanization and extension services, with 72 hectares serviced by tractors, 240 sprayers distributed, and over 5,530 litres of environmentally friendly pesticides deployed to fight Fall Armyworm.
“Additionally, 12,226 farmers have been trained in SMART agriculture practices to boost productivity and climate resilience,” Mr. Maseko said.
While acknowledging challenges such as climate variability, infrastructure gaps and funding constraints, he stressed that government is putting in place measures to promote SMART agriculture, improve funding flows, rehabilitate agricultural infrastructure and address outstanding personnel issues.
“The Luapula Provincial Administration remains committed to building a food-secure, commercially viable and technologically driven agricultural sector, working closely with farmers, cooperatives, district teams and development partners,” he reaffirmed.
