Zambia confirms US$593M paid to maize farmers, anticipates bumper 2025/2026 harvest
Agriculture Minister confirmed that the government has fully paid 846,655 farmers for the maize they sold to the FRA during the 2025 crop marketing season.
ZAMBIA – Zambia’s government has confirmed that all funds earmarked for maize farmers who supplied the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) have been released to banking institutions, although some payments are still being processed due to technical banking issues.
Speaking on the KBN TV programme The Big Hour, Cornelius Mweetwa, Minister of Information and Media and Chief Government Spokesperson, stated that the Treasury had fully disbursed payments owed to farmers.
“All funds from the National Treasury have been transferred to banks for onward payment to farmers,” he said.
Speaking on a different platform, Agriculture Minister Reuben Mtolo confirmed that the government has fully paid 846,655 farmers for the maize they sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the 2025 crop marketing season.
According to Mtolo, the government initially planned to purchase 543,000 metric tonnes but exceeded expectations, acquiring 1,667,921.15 metric tonnes worth K11,314,750,520 (US$593M), a 307% increase over the target.
As of January 15, 2026, all payment obligations have been settled, with plans to reform the payment system for the next marketing season to enhance efficiency and transparency.
The government aims to emphasize digital payments and operationalize a Warehouse Receipt System to improve market access for farmers.
Mweetwa attributed delays in receiving funds to banking technicalities, noting that long queues previously observed at some banks were largely due to challenges in implementing faster and modern payment methods, as well as farmers’ unfamiliarity with the systems, particularly in rural areas.
He added that the queues have now significantly reduced, with only a final group of farmers still awaiting payments.
Looking ahead, Mweetwa expressed optimism for the 2025–2026 farming season. He forecasted a bumper harvest, citing favourable rainfall across the country and the cultivation of large tracts of land that had remained idle for several years.
However, the Ministry of Agriculture continues to manage localized challenges, including a fall armyworm outbreak in Isoka District, Muchinga Province.
According to Isoka District Crop Husbandry Officer Kelvin Sikanyika, 1,394 hectares of crop fields, affecting 2,836 farmers, have been impacted by the pest. This represents 26 percent of crops in the district as of last week.
Despite the outbreak, Sikanyika remains positive about overall production. “The district is still projected to achieve a bumper harvest due to favourable rainfall patterns,” he said.
The ministry has provided 130 boxes of chemicals to assist affected farmers, with 83 already distributed to camp extension officers and 47 remaining for farmers who have not yet reported cases. Sikanyika urged farmers to report any affected fields promptly to access the remaining supplies.
Local farmers have welcomed the government’s intervention. Maureen Chisanga, a maize farmer in Isoka, said the prompt chemical distribution had given many hope.
“The fall armyworms had threatened my maize field and other crops, and we feared low yields, but the intervention from the government has given us hope of saving our crops and ensuring food security for our families,” she said.
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