In record adherence to timelines, Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) has commenced the distribution of the 43,292.7 metric tonnes of fertilizer, which the company was contracted to supply under the Comprehensive Agriculture Support Programme (CASP) for the 2023/24 crop season.
Agriculture minister Hon. Reuben Mtolo Phiri flagged off the fertilizer distribution exercise at a ceremony in Kafue yesterday. Hon Phiri said the early distribution of inputs would enable farmers to plan early for the planting season this year.
The Minister thanked the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), NCZ’s holding company, for the technical support it was rendering to fertilizer manufacturing company to ensure that it produced the farming inputs early.
Following President Hakainde Hichilema’s directive for this year’s fertilizer distribution exercise to commence early, IDC CEO Mr Perry Mapani intervened and appointed a multi-disciplinary technical team to support NCZ to ensure that the company met its deliverables.
This is the earliest the farm inputs will reach farmers under the CASP (formerly FISP) programme in recent memory, much to the farmers’ delight. At yesterday’s ceremony, 150 metric tonnes of compound D fertilizer was dispatched as part of the total consignment that will benefit over 288,000 farmers in 41 districts of Northwestern, Muchinga, Luapula, and Copperbelt Provinces.
NCZ CEO Mr William Mwale thanked the Government for considering NCZ as a strategic partner in fostering agriculture and industrial development in Zambia.
Mr Mwale said NCZ would produce and meet the yearly national demand for Compound D, with the excess being exported to our neighboring countries to earn foreign exchange.
Earlier this week, the Minister flagged off the distribution of 77,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer by United Capital Fertilizer, which will be distributed to over 513,000 farmers in Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Provinces.