Lusaka, 23 January, 2026 / 7:32 pm (ACI Africa).
Bishop George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu of Zambia’s Catholic Diocese of Chipata has urged authorities in the Southern African nation to urgently address the prolonged delay in paying farmers who delivered their produce to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) during the 2025 season.
In a statement on Thursday, January 22, Bishop Lungu expresses deep pastoral concern over the suffering endured by farmers in Eastern Zambia, describing the FRA’s failure to make timely payments as unjust, disrespectful, and morally wrong.
“This repeated failure not only reflects administrative shortcomings but also reveals a serious lack of respect for the dignity of the farmer,” the Zambian Catholic Church leader says, recalling that “a previous assurance that payments would be made by the 10th of January 2026” was never honored.
He reveals that, “Across many districts in Eastern Province, farmers continue to form long and exhausting queues at selected banks, spending hours, and in some cases days, receiving the payments rightfully due to them.”
“Instead of experiencing relief after months of hard work, they are subjected to further suffering through increased transport costs, hunger, and physical exhaustion,” he says, referring to farmers who fulfilled their responsibilities faithfully, trusting the Government’s assurances and promises that payment would be made promptly.
