Gov’t to Fully Implement E-Voucher System in 2025/2026 Farming Season
The Zambian Government has announced that the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) will fully transition to the electronic voucher (e-voucher) system across all 116 districts in the 2025/2026 farming season.
This marks the complete phase-out of the Direct Input Supply (DIS) system, which was still operational in 42 districts during the current season.
Speaking at a media briefing held at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, Minister of Agriculture Reuben Mtolo highlighted the benefits of the e-voucher system, citing increased efficiency, reduced fraud, and enhanced private sector participation as key successes in the 2024/2025 season.
“The successful implementation of this year’s e-voucher system has laid a strong foundation for a full rollout. We are now fully committed to ensuring a 100% migration to the e-voucher system in the 2025/2026 farming season,” said Mtolo.
During the 2024/2025 season, the Government verified all 1,024,434 beneficiaries using electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) verification, in collaboration with mobile service providers Airtel, MTN, and Zamtel. This process resulted in the removal of 212,851 ineligible beneficiaries, including those with invalid phone and NRC numbers, duplicate registrations, and formally employed individuals who did not qualify for the programme.
“With this thorough verification process, we ensured that only eligible small-scale farmers benefited from the programme. We also onboarded 208,594 first-time beneficiaries, expanding access to genuine farmers,” Mtolo stated.
The Minister further emphasized that 99% of e-voucher beneficiaries successfully deposited their contributions and redeemed inputs by November 2024, ensuring timely distribution well ahead of the rainy season. By February 3, 2025, all farmers under both the e-voucher and DIS systems had received their farming inputs.
The migration to the e-voucher system has also contributed to a reduction in fertilizer costs, with the average price per pack decreasing by ZMW440 compared to the DIS system. This cost reduction has provided farmers with better value for their money.
A key objective of the e-voucher system is to enhance private sector participation in agricultural input supply. In the 2024/2025 season, 631 agro-dealers participated in the programme, creating over 5,000 jobs. More than 1,000 input collection points were established nationwide to improve accessibility for farmers.
“The e-voucher system has strengthened market competition, encouraged crop diversification, and empowered agro-dealers. This is the direction we want to continue in as we complete the migration,” Mtolo said.
As part of the full rollout, the Ministry of Agriculture has opened registration for agro-dealers, encouraging interested parties to visit the ministry’s website and print media for further details.
Minister Mtolo also acknowledged the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema in driving agricultural reforms, along with the contributions of government agencies, financial institutions, mobile network operators, agro-dealers, and farmers.
“The success of this year’s FISP e-voucher rollout reflects our commitment to strengthening Zambia’s agricultural sector. We will continue working tirelessly to ensure farmers receive the support they need to increase productivity and enhance food security,” Mtolo concluded.
