Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has told Parliament that the donated fertilizer will not be given out for free as government is expected to foot blending costs.
He said, some of the donated fertilizer is not suitable for Malawian soil therefore some products have to be procured for its blending.
Kawale said this in Parliament on Thursday during his ministerial Statement on this year’s programme.
He then asked people not to panic over this year’s Affordable Input Programme -AIP, saying the Programme is going to be a success.
According to Kawale, fertilizer prices globally have gone up following COVID-19 and the Russia Ukraine war, he said, this has led to some changes in this year’s AIP as government has resorted to reducing number of beneficiaries to 2.5 million.
He however said those left out, are expected to benefit from the Social cash transfer, Smart Climate Public works and different projects under Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM).
He said, the farmers to benefit this are expected to make a contribution of K15,000 while Government will contribute K50 000 on the 50kg bag.
In this year’s AIP, Kawale discloses that retailing process will be done by Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) and that government is planing mobile vending to avoid the stress that women and the elderly go through to access the fertilizer.
Kawale has told Parliament that government is ready with this year’s Programme and he has since urged people not to panic but to trust the process.
This year’s AIP is expected to be launched by President Lazarus Chakwera on Saturday in Dedza. (Source MIJ
