Budget cuts and rising fertiliser prices have prompted stakeholders to ask government to expedite procurement and rethink the implementation of this year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) to avoid undermining food security.
The stakeholders said in separate interviews yesterday that Fisp faces a double challenge of a sharply reduced budget and significantly higher fertiliser prices, raising fears that fewer farmers will benefit unless government adopts a new approach.
In the K11 trillion 2026/27 National Budget, Fisp was allocated K111 billion compared to K241 billion provided in the revised 2025/26 budget, which targeted 1.1 million beneficiaries.
bag of fertiliser. | Nation
Fertiliser prices have also gone up from about K130 000 per 50-kilogramme bag during the last implementation season to between K180 000 and K210 000.
Civil Society Agriculture Network national director Elizabeth Namaona said the reduced allocation and higher fertiliser prices could leave more farmers without support at a time many households are still recovering from poor harvests.
She warned that the development could frustrate efforts to improve food security, as many smallholder farmers cannot afford fertiliser without government assistance.
Said Namaona: “Even at 1.1 million beneficiaries, the figure was already low considering the country’s population.
“We are yet to see how government is going to implement the programme, but there has to be serious decision-making if we are to reach many farming households because fertiliser prices have gone up.”
She urged government to consider buying fertiliser directly from manufacturers to reduce procurement costs.
In a separate interview, agriculture policy expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula said the reduced budget could mean government either cuts the number of beneficiaries or increases farmers’ contributions to maintain coverage.
He said Malawi faces another difficult food security season and urged government to invest more in irrigation alongside fertiliser subsidies to reduce the risks posed by climate shocks.
Mwapata Institute executive director William Chadza said fertiliser procurement should ideally begin in April and May so that supplies arrive early enough for distribution before planting.
He cited International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) data showing that most fertiliser for Malawi is purchased in June or July and arrives in August or September, leaving little room to respond to supply shortages before the farming season.
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development spokesperson Salome Gangire said the ministry was still finalising this year’s programme and will provide details once all processes had been completed.
Meanwhile, a recent report by the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture urged government to provide adequate funding for Fisp and release resources early to facilitate timely procurement and implementation.
