THE latest Auditor General’s report on the Accounts of the Republic has revealed that as at August 31, 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture could not account for over K27 million which farmers paid to the Ministry under the Farmer Input Support Programme. And the report has revealed that 134 civil servants in seven provinces collected farming inputs under FISP despite not being eligible for it. According to the report, farmers deposited a total of K409,840,400 to the scheme but only K382,537,600 reflected on the bank account while the balance of K27,302,800 was unaccounted for. “The FISP was introduced to enhance access to agricultural inputs by small-scale farmers at an affordable cost and increase the participation and competitiveness of the private...