Ministry of Agriculture has assured Malawians that the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) will be finalized by December 2023.
This was disclosed during a press briefing that the ministry organized today at the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) offices at Kanengo in Lilongwe.
Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale said this after noting that the distribution of inputs under AIP will not meet the deadline that President Lazarus Chakwera wanted the programme to meet.
Kawale cited the forex shortage experienced by the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and the current devaluation as some of the contributing factors that have delayed the progress in the implementation of the programme, which is not within his ministry’s jurisdiction.
He said the Ministry of Agriculture is working closely with the Ministry of Finance, to solicit funds to ensure the smooth flow of fertilizer distribution in areas which have not yet received.
He outlined that a total of 26,789 metric tonnes of fertilizer was paid for through letters of credit at EcoBank on 24th November 2023, and the fertilizer is being distributed to retailing points across the country.
“6,000 metric tonnes are being bought under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Final procurements are being concluded now, and we are working on the financing and payments for the remaining 24,340 metric tonnes of fertilizers to complete the 150,000 metric tonnes target,” said Kawale.
He further said that the Government of Malawi has also received a donation of 104,000 bags of fertilizer which is already in the country for distribution while a total of 29,929.58 metric tonnes of fertilizers from suppliers within Meridian Group will start to be collected and distributed to retailing areas from today 29th November 2023.
Kawale also disclosed that the current status for those who have managed to buy fertilizer is at 47 percent, adding that the ministry is doing everything possible on the ground to ensure proper implementation of the programme.
During the press briefing, Kawale was accompanied by the Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dixie Kampani and other Senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture.
By Gift Chiponde
