The Agriculture Climate Action Foundation Zambia (ACAF) has called for an investigation into irregularities worth K52.6 million in the Farmer Input Support Programme identified in the 2025 report of the Auditor-General, The Mast reported on Monday 26 October. According to the paper, the foundation's executive director, Dr Oliver Bulaya, cited two findings: that 2,128 inactive farmers were allocated redeemable inputs worth K17.76 million, and that 4,213 beneficiaries received inputs worth K34.92 million despite already benefiting from other government support programmes.
Bulaya is quoted as saying the findings "raise serious questions about the integrity, transparency, and effectiveness of the systems" used to run the programme. He asked the government to say whether the irregularities arose under the e-voucher system or the Direct Input Supply system, arguing that "if these irregularities occurred under the E-voucher system, the effectiveness of its verification, monitoring, and control mechanisms must be critically reviewed". He asked who was responsible, what action would follow, and why the discrepancies were not caught before public money was put at risk.
Every kwacha lost through irregularities represents resources that could otherwise support genuine farmers.
— Dr Oliver Bulaya, executive director, Agriculture Climate Action Foundation Zambia, in a statement reported by The Mast on Monday 26 October
What ACAF wants
The Mast reports that the foundation is asking the Ministry of Agriculture and oversight institutions for a comprehensive review of FISP, including independent verification of beneficiaries, investigations and the recovery of funds where the law allows, with administrative or legal action against anyone found responsible, through due process. Bulaya also suggested that the government consider using qualified, independent private-sector providers for beneficiary registration and verification, programme administration and input delivery and monitoring, while the state keeps control of policy, financing, eligibility criteria and regulation. The paper carries no response from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The findings sit alongside another from the same audit cycle. The Zambian Observer reported on Wednesday 21 October that the Auditor-General found 2,339 farmers whose details could not be traced on the authorised national farmer register had accessed inputs worth more than K19.6 million in the 2025/26 season: 1,343 in Isoka, with inputs valued at over K11.2 million; 995 in Mpika, over K8.3 million; and one in Mansa, worth K8,200. The Observer's report, like The Mast's, carries no ministry response.
The programme the audit describes is the one now being rolled out for a new season. Lusaka Brief reported on Monday that the Ministry of Agriculture had put the number of farmers who have redeemed their 2026/27 inputs at 675,459, about two-thirds of the target. The Auditor-General's figures concern the previous season; whether the controls have changed since is the question ACAF's statement puts to the ministry.
Sources: The Mast, “ACAF demands probe into K53m FISP irregularities” (26 Oct 2026); Zambian Observer, “Ghost farmers access over K19 million in FISP inputs – Auditor General” (21 Oct 2026).