ALVIN CHIINGA
Lusaka
AN AGRO-DEALER has hailed Government for working on legislation to make the sale of counterfeit seeds a non-bailable offence.
Minister of Agriculture Reuben Mtolo announced the proposed legislation that will help protect farmers and ensure food security in the country.
Mr Mtolo advised farmers to be vigilant when buying inputs this coming season.
Gaulani Agrovet Limited chief executive officer Enock Phiri said the move is bold, timely, and much-needed to protect one of the country’s most vital sectors—agriculture.
Mr Phiri said in an interview from Serenje that farmers, especially small-scale, need to be alert ahead of the 2025-2026 farming season about such unscrupulous activities.
‘‘We uphold the minister’s call to criminalise fake farming input supply. For too long, the livelihoods of hardworking farmers have been undermined by unscrupulous individuals peddling fake seeds and fertilisers with little fear of serious legal consequences,’’ he said.
Mr Phiri said farmers work hard to till the land and unfortunately, some end up being supplied with fake inputs like seed, hence their efforts get frustrated.
‘‘This law will be able to protect the hard working farmers. As agro dealers, we encourage business people who supply genuine farming inputs such as seed and fertiliser. We urge farmers to buy their farming inputs from genuine suppliers,’’ he said.
Mr Phiri also called on farmers and other stakeholders countrywide to support Government to ensure the law is operationalised.
He said the legislation once it becomes law will send a firm warning that engaging in illegal activities, even in the agricultural sector, has consequences.
Mr Phiri said counterfeit agricultural inputs have quietly wreaked havoc across the country’s farming communities, especially among smallholder farmers who rely heavily on every bag of seed and fertiliser they buy.
He said fake seeds tend to have poor germination rates, while fake fertilisers are sometimes diluted or mixed with sand, offering no nutritional value to the soil or crops.
Mr Phiri also said Gaulani, with branches in Serenje, Chitambo and Kapiri Mposhi, is selling inputs under the Farmer Input Support Programme(FISP) through the electronic-Voucher system attached with new incentives and promotions for farmers.
