Researcher and Consultant in climate smart agriculture Oliver Bulaya has charged that acts of corruption in the agriculture sector have contributed to Zambia’s food insecurity and increased poverty levels.
The recently released Financial Intelligence Center –FIC- report shows that the centre received cases of fraud, procurement corruption, theft and money laundering reports on six entities in the agriculture sector that were awarded government contracts for the period 2020-2022 in excess of $300 million.
Commenting on this development, Dr Bulaya says such irregularities in the sector only lead to late delivery of farming inputs and undermines chances of a good harvest.
Dr Bulaya tells Phoenix News that this a drawback to revamping the agriculture sector adding that growth will not be witnessed if awarded suppliers do not execute their roles despite full payments of contract sums by government.
And Zambia National Union of Small-Scale Farmers Executive Director Ebony Loloji expects the government to intensify and correct irregularities in the agriculture sector revealed in the FIC report by ensuring the law takes its course on those found wanting.
