Kanchibiya Constituency Member of Parliament, Sunday Chanda, has called on the Food Reserve Agency, (FRA) to urgently address the delayed payments to farmers who sold their maize to the agency, in Kanchibiya.
“The prolonged delays in receiving payment, particularly due to contracted banks running short on funds, have left many farmers stranded and struggling to meet their daily needs,” Mr. Chanda has said in a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today.
He said farmers are now forced to borrow money, plunging them into unnecessary debt because they have not been compensated for their produce.
Mr. Chanda called for improved payment systems to ensure funds are released promptly.
He said this could include direct payments to farmers via mobile money platforms to avoid delays caused by banking inefficiencies.
And Mr. Chanda said the agreements between the FRA and contracted banks must include clear timelines for the release of funds to ensure that payment delays do not occur in the future.
By Eva Hatontola
