AIP info blackout worries farmers

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has expressed worry with the lack of information on the implementation of this year’s Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), saying it has created anxiety among farmers.

In an interview yesterday, FUM president Frighton Njolomole urged government to update the country on the current fertiliser supply situation and its preparedness for the 2022/23  growing season.

He said: “We have fears as we have expressed before, that any further delays in fertiliser deliveries especially in hard to reach areas will have a negative impact on maize output and food security.”

Njolomole said despite the lack of information,  they have been encouraging farmers to prepare their gardens early so that they plant with the first rains as well as to diversify into other crops that do not require heavy application of inorganic fertilisers but are critical for income and nutrition such as legumes, potato and cassava.

In a written response, an agriculture think-tank, Mwapata insititute executive director William Chadza  described the situation as worrisome, saying the country is late in bringing  in the necessary quantities of fertiliser.

He said: “It will be a logistical nightmare to ensure the country is well supplied before the onset of the rainy season. It also means that if the situation does not improve before rains start, fertiliser demand will be higher than supply for both commercial and subsidised fertilisers.

“For commercial fertilisers this means prices will continue rising, for subsidised fertilisers this means few farmers will be able to access the necessary quantities on time.”

In a separate interview, Fertiliser Association of Malawi administrative officer Mbawaka Phiri said companies have since January 2022, companies have only been imported only 130 000 MT of fertiliser, some of which was used towards the end of the 2021/22 agricultural season, adding that  roughly 90 000-100 000MT is what is in stock against the required 350 000- 400 000MT.

“There has been no engagement from government,” she said.