Farmers Gain Control and Opportunities Through FISP E‑Voucher System
The Ministry of Agriculture has released the findings of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) e‑Voucher Evaluation for the 2024/25 farming season, highlighting significant improvements in transparency, efficiency, and farmer choice.
The evaluation, supported financially by the World Bank and technically by the Jobs Accelerator Project, assessed the performance and inclusiveness of the e‑Voucher system across 20 districts in all 10 provinces. It involved surveys, interviews and consultations with 335 farmers and 100 agro‑dealers.
Results show that over 208,000 eligible farmers were added to the Zambia Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (ZIAMIS) database through enhanced electronic verification, while 81 per cent of farmers expressed satisfaction with the system’s convenience and flexibility.
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Mtolo Phiri, MP, said the evaluation demonstrates the e‑Voucher system is achieving its objectives. “It empowers our farmers to select inputs that meet their specific needs, strengthens private sector participation, and improves delivery efficiency. Early uptake is encouraging, with more than 40 per cent of farmers redeeming inputs so far,” he noted.
Hon. Phiri urged farmers to redeem their codes promptly, emphasising that each redeeming code is individual. He also highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to addressing challenges identified in the evaluation, including digital literacy gaps, connectivity issues and transport costs in remote areas.
The report indicated a 20–50 per cent increase in agro‑dealer participation in districts using the e‑Voucher system during the 2024/25 season. Total sales rose from ZMW 749 million to ZMW 2.2 billion, creating over 5,000 rural jobs in input retail, logistics and support services. Participation among women and youth also improved, with over 95 per cent of women farmers expressing their intention to continue using the e‑Voucher system.
Minister Phiri described the reform as a “shift in mindset”, noting that treating farmers as customers rather than beneficiaries is helping to restore dignity and confidence in the agricultural sector.
The Ministry confirmed that the 2025/26 farming season will build on the evaluation’s insights, focusing on strengthened digital systems, expanded agro‑dealer coverage, and enhanced farmer outreach across all provinces.
