By MILLENNIUM REPORTER
AGRICULTURAL expert Oliver Bulaya has charged that despite the rolling out of the Sustainable Agricultural Financing Facility (SAFF) credit window being well intended, the timing is wrong and should have come before the farming season began.
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Dr Bulaya said the country may not achieve the intended objective of increasing maize production because not all farmers will benefit from the scheme.
He has wondered why the programme has started in the middle of the farming season, saying it will only benefit a few farmers along the line of rail while many in remote areas will be left behind.
He said it would have been better to roll out the programme much earlier or in the next farming season especially that its purpose is to increase production.
Dr Bulaya said there was also need for sensitisation before the programme was rolled out as farmers are still not aware of how they will benefit from it, and this will affect its implementation.
Government recently actualised the SAFF credit window programme which will allow farmers to access loans through the banks in form of inputs at an interest rate of 12 percent effective November 2, 2023.
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