I found something interesting in IVerify - No, farmers under the Government fertiliser scheme are not sharing the commodity as claimed on social media.

No, farmers under the Government fertiliser scheme are not sharing the commodity as claimed on social media.

False

According to the National Agriculture Information Service (NAIS), under the Government Fertiliser Support Programme, farmers are receving six bags of fertiliser (three D-compound and three top dressing).

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Verified Dec, 01 2022

Claim

On November 27, 2022, Thomas Sipalo, a Zambian politician and entertainer, claimed in a write up on his Facebook page that farmers were sharing a bag of fertiliser on a plate. His claim follows a widely circulated video showing a group of people sharing what appears to be fertiliser.

Rating Justification

iVerify Zambia has determined as false the claim by Mr. Thomas Sipalo that farmers are sharing fertiliser. iVerify Zambia arrived at this conclusion after a telephone interview with National Agriculture Information Service (NAIS) Assistant Director Stubbs Malambo. Mr Malambo who dismissed the claim, described the video as mere propaganda. Mr. Malambo clarified that under the Government’s fertiliser support programme, farmers were getting six bags of fertiliser each comprising 3 bags of Compound D (basal fertiliser) and 3 bags of top dressing, as well as seed equivalent. He said whatever was happening in the video had nothing to do with Goverment’s fertiliser support programme adding that there was too much propaganda on the fertiliser issue. Mr. Malambo said the Gvernment would issue a press statement on the matter soon. Therefore, based on the information from the official agriculture information agency, the claim that farmers are sharing fertiliser under the Government’s scheme is false.

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