By George Bulombola

Karonga, January 31, Mana: Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Benedicto Chambo HAS urged the National Economic Empowerment Fund to provide comprehensive farm input packages through its agricultural farm inputs loan program.

Chambo was speaking Thursday at Uliwa in Karonga when he presided over distribution exercise of over 400 bags of fertilizer worth about K45 million to 64 smallholder farmers drawn from Chilumba and Uliwa catchment areas in the district.

He said that fertilizer which was provided to the farmers through NEEF’s Agriculture Farm Inputs Loan Program does not suffice to improve agricultural productivity hence the need for NEEF to provide farmers with comprehensive farm input loan packages.

“I expect you to be including seed and pesticides of your clients’ choices besides the fertilizer so that the program becomes a success, “said Chambo.

Chambo also advised NEEF to ensure that it rolls out the distribution of the farm inputs before the onset of rains for the farmers to effectively plan and implement their farm activities, thereby realizing maximized bump yield.

“You are today bringing fertilizer to farmers, imagine if rains had started earlier, this initiative would be of benefit to your clients who are expected to repay their loans after harvest,” he said.

The deputy minister took advantage of the ceremony to urge Ministry of Agriculture to provide NEEF with office spaces in all Area Extension Areas across the country to bring NEEF services and products close to the people.

Earlier, Chief Executive Officer for NEEF Humphrey Mdyetseni urged the benefiting clients to ensure that they repay their loans saying farm input loan facility is a revolving fund hence it is a requirement they pay the loans for the sustainability of the initiative.

“I am concerned over poor loan repayment by NEEF clients in this area and Karonga Boma. Some clients especially you people tend to default on loan repayment and escape to South Africa. This is counterproductive to the program’s goal,” he said.

Speaking during a similar ceremony at Karonga Boma, Senior Chief Kalonga of Karonga advised NEEF to involve traditional leaders in all stages of loan processing for its clients.

“You faced such challenges because you bypassed some stakeholders such as traditional leaders in the loan processing procedures. Now you will not have loan defaulters since you have decided to involve us,” said Kalonga.