I found something interesting in IVerify - Yes, Government will distribute fertiliser to farmers through FISP but the number of bags is yet to be officially announced

Yes, Government will distribute fertiliser to farmers through FISP but the number of bags is yet to be officially announced

Misleading

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, a press statement will be released on the number of fertiliser bags per farmer when the farming season approaches.

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Verified Jul, 04 2022

Claim

On 30th June 2022, Nkani Facebook page published a story claiming that the Government has increased the number of fertiliser bags allocated to farmers under the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) for the 2022/2023 farming season. Since 2002, the Government of Zambia has been funding FISP as a way of boosting agriculture yields.

Rating Justification

The Fact checking process has determined as misleading the claim by Nkani Facebook Page that the Government has increased the number of fertiliser bags that the farmers will receive under the FISP.
On the 1st of July 2022, iVerify carried out a fact-finding on the matter with the Department of Agrobusinesses under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. The department clarified that the Ministry had not issued any press statement regarding the distribution of the fertiliser under the FISP. The Ministry explained that the number of fertiliser bags will be announced and known when the farming season approaches. In addition, the Ministry urged the public to consider press statements issued by the Ministry as official.
In conclusion, it is true that the Government will support the Farmers through FISP, but the number fertiliser bags that will be distributed through the FISP is unknown hence, the claim by Nkani Facebook Page that Government has increased the number of fertiliser bags that the farmers will receive under the FISP, is misleading, as a similar article was also published on the Zambian Observer Website page on 31st October, 2021.

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