Pay Farmers on the Spot or Face the Whip, Hichilema Warns FRA

Pay Farmers on the Spot or Face the Whip, Hichilema Warns FRA President Hakainde Hichilema has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to pay farmers immediately upon delivery of maize during this year’s marketing season, warning officials that failure to comply with the directive…

Pay Farmers on the Spot or Face the Whip, Hichilema Warns FRA

President Hakainde Hichilema has directed the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to pay farmers immediately upon delivery of maize during this year’s marketing season, warning officials that failure to comply with the directive will attract serious consequences.

The President issued the instruction on Sunday as he concluded his three-day campaign tour of Eastern Province with a rally at Tiritonse School Grounds in Sinda District. The directive comes as agriculture has emerged as one of the defining issues in the campaign ahead of next month’s general election, with both the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) and the opposition seeking to convince farmers that they offer the better future for rural communities.

Addressing supporters, Mr Hichilema said government had already put mechanisms in place to eliminate the delayed payments that have frustrated farmers in previous marketing seasons.

“Nabauza bayambe kugula cimanga ba FRA pamutengo wabwino, namalipilo pamene apo [I’ve directed FRA to start buying maize and immediately pay farmers on the spot without any delay],” the President said.

He followed the announcement with a stern warning to FRA management, making it clear that delayed payments would not be tolerated.

“And let me warn the FRA, if you fail to heed these instructions to start buying grain and promptly pay farmers, then you will face the whip. We mean business,” he said.

Beyond the payment directive, Mr Hichilema announced further reforms to the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), promising to end the long-criticised practice of farmers sharing fertiliser in small quantities.

“Farmers will no longer receive or share pre-packed fertiliser in medas. That system is ending. In the forthcoming farming season, we will increase the number of bags of fertiliser so that you can produce more,” he said.

The President also extended the initiative to Lusaka Province during campaign engagements in Shantumbu, where he instructed the FRA to begin purchasing maize directly from local farmers, saying the move would improve access to the market while ensuring producers receive their payments without unnecessary delays.

He further pledged that a second UPND term would accelerate investment in rural infrastructure through the construction of additional dams, schools and health facilities. Pointing to a mortuary constructed in Sinda using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Mr Hichilema urged voters to judge his administration on projects already delivered.

However, the President’s latest promises immediately drew criticism from the opposition, which argues that government should be judged on its record rather than fresh campaign commitments.

Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) president Chanda Katotobwe, who has endorsed National Reconciliation Party for Unity and Prosperity (NRPUP) presidential candidate Brian Mundubile, dismissed the payment pledge as an attempt to win back farmers after years of frustration over delayed payments and fertiliser distribution.

Mr Katotobwe reminded voters that during the 2021 campaign, Mr Hichilema promised to reduce the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of fertiliser to K250 from about K700 at the time.

“Has he reduced the price of fertiliser to K250 as he promised the farmers? Isn’t it even more expensive now at the current price of K1,200? He promised them that each one of them would be receiving eight bags of fertiliser under his government but instead, they have been sharing the fertiliser in medas and cups for five years,” Mr Katotobwe said.

Mr Mundubile has also maintained pressure on the government over agricultural policy, calling on President Hichilema to announce this season’s maize floor price before farmers begin delivering their produce to FRA depots, arguing that producers deserve certainty over what they will earn from their harvest.

Agricultural expert Sarah Ngwenya welcomed the President’s instruction on immediate payments, describing it as a positive step for the sector. However, she said lasting reform would require government to move beyond administrative directives by making prompt payment a legal obligation.

Ms Ngwenya argued that legislation guaranteeing payment within a prescribed period would protect farmers regardless of which administration was in office, providing greater certainty for producers and strengthening confidence in the country’s grain marketing system.

The issue carries considerable economic and political significance. Zambia is projected to harvest more than 10 million metric tonnes of maize this season, making FRA’s ability to purchase grain efficiently and pay farmers promptly one of the most closely watched government programmes in the weeks leading to the August 13 general election.

For the UPND, the campaign message is centred on delivery through immediate payments, expanded fertiliser support and increased investment in rural development. For the opposition, the focus remains on government’s performance over the past five years, arguing that promises made in 2021 should be measured against current fertiliser prices, input distribution and farmers’ lived experience.

With maize deliveries now beginning across the country, the effectiveness of the FRA payment system is set to become one of the most visible tests of government performance before Zambians cast their votes.