AS we edge towards the planting season, it is imperative that farmers take heed of the warning from the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) to buy their agricultural inputs from certified dealers.

Around this time of the year, there is a proliferation of fake seed and fertiliser dealers who sell their products at low prices to attract customers.

But there is a saying that cheap is always costly as the fake inputs, while being bought at reduced prices, are often of dubious quality and result in huge losses for the farmers.

The victims of these unscrupulous dealers are often peasant farmers who try as much as possible to reduce their operating costs.

This is the group of farmers who may also be constrained in accessing registered agricultural input dealers and the easy way out is to buy from any trader selling the products at their doorstep.

While the ZNFU is genuinely concerned about the plight of their members, we would appeal to them to be more proactive and engage more aggressive means of getting certified seed and other inputs to the peasant farmers.

Some form of inspection by the ZNFU or its agents would also help through checks on street vendors and 'tuntembas' selling seed and fertiliser to test whether the products on sale are genuine or indeed whether the dealers are registered to sell such products.

This should be done along the same lines as the pharmacy and poisons regulatory body that pounces on unregistered drug stores.

Zambia could only be assured of food security if farmers planted genuine seed and it is for this reason that the Government set up the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI) at Mount Makulu Research Institute.

All genuine seed packs must have certification from the SCCI, which a farmer must look out for.

But the bad news is that despite all these measures, the fake inputs dealers have gone a step ahead and may package their counterfeit products in a bag with the SCCI certification logo.

The bottom line therefore is not to buy inputs from street dealers but in shops, which have a licence to deal in such products displayed.

It is only when farmers appreciate the importance of planting certified seed and using genuine fertiliser that they will be assured of higher yields, more revenue, while the nation's strategic reserves will also be adequately filled.