AIP mess worries beneficiaries

It never rains, but pours for the Tonse Alliance ad m in istration’s flagship Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) because of numerous challenges choking its implementation.

After losing K750 million to a United Kingdom firm which government is struggling to recover, network glitches have marred AIP implementation.

The network glitches reached a highpoint last weekend when the network completely shut down nationwide, causing some beneficiaries to spend nights at Smallholder Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFRFM) depots.

AIP is also hit by transport challenges and lack of mobile vending sites.

While admitting the challenges, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale pledged that the ministry and its partners will soon resolve them.

But Dyton Munthali from Euthini in Mzimba has no kind words for government after spending some nights at Euthini SFFRFM depot due to network glitches.

He said: “This is worrisome. I spent nights in the cold because of network problems.”

If the situation is not resolved, Munthali claims, AIP will derail.

“AIP targets poor farmers who travel long distances to access farm inputs and to be turned away due to network is unfortunate,” he said.

His frustrations were also echoed by Desire Banda from Traditional Authority Nchilamwera in Thyolo where they are yet to access the subsidised seeds and fertiliser.

“As we speak, some farmers are applying the first fertiliser which, unfortunately, I am yet to access,” he lamented.

Nchilamwera Cooperative chairperson Hilary Mussa fears their crop output would be affected.

“We are, however, banking on the mobile vending sites which we hope will be here soon,” he said.

On his part, Kassim Aubi from Senior Chief Mponda in Mangochi said most AIP beneficiaries are frustrated.

“When we went to redeem the fertilisers on Sunday, we were told that there was no network.

“We could not do anything, but return home. By Monday, the situation had not yet changed,” he said.

Susan Chidyaonga from Tengani in Nsanje said they expected government to resolve the challenges since they were also present last year.

“I bought my bag of fertiliser after spending a day at the depot. I never expected such a challenge to re-emerge this season,” he said.

Jenifer Makalangozo from Area 25 in Lilongwe also expressed dissatisfaction with the network glitches.

She fears the challenges would bring chaos in AIP selling depots.

Pamodzi Cooperative chairperson Margaret Mzumara said network glitches have frustrated them and they will now wait for mobile vending sites.

“During our discussions, most members resolved to wait for the mobile vending sites but we advised them to reconsider their decision,” she said.

Mary Fabiano from M’bwatalika in Lilongwe faced similar challenges.

She said: “It was frustrating to wait for  so many hours because of network issues. Maybe next time government should change its approach because we experienced similar challenges last year.”

This year, the government pledged smooth AIP implementation amid challenges experienced in the previous two seasons.

Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources agriculture economist Horace Phiri said delayed access to farm inputs has the potential to lower yields.

He said: “Yields will be affected and ultimately, this may reduce the amount of food that we produce.”

Phiri urged the Ministry of Agriculture to quickly rectify the challenges.

Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale in an interview on Wednesday said he was aware of the challenges.

He said most transporters had other engagements, but they have since released their trucks to haul farm inputs.

Said Kawale: “On delivery of fertiliser, transport contracts have been signed and more vehicles are being dispatched for mobile vending.

“We are using mobile vending more as this is more efficient in fertiliser delivery.”

On network glitches, he attributed the challenges to power outages which he said are being resolved.

But Kawale was elusive when asked how many beneficiaries have so far accessed the subsidised farm inputs.

On Thursday, Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson Geoffrey Banda could also not respond to the question, referring the reporter to the minister.

Writing later on his official Facebook page on Thursday evening, kawale said 256 extra clerks have been recruited, trained and dispatched nationwide and that 300 trucks have been added to ferry fertilisers.

He further wrote that they are monitoring the AIP network following its nationwide lapse last weekend and that 174 extra mobile phones have been procured, programmed and dispatched across the country.

But agriculture policy expert Tamani Nkhondo Mvula argued that hurdles the AIP continues to face smacks lack of seriousness on the part of government.

Nkhono Mvula said it is unfortunate that beneficiaries have to face the same challenges over and over again which begs the question on government’s evaluation of the programme prior to its implementation.

“In other words, in its entire lifetime AIP has had similar problems which means that they have not been resolved.

“I don’t know if the government has ever taken time to look at these challenges and find lasting solutions to them,” he said.

Nkhono Mvula said in its maiden year, challenges of the AIP were understood on the basis that it was new including its modality in terms of delivery of the entire programme.

He said it was, therefore, imperative for the government to learn from previous mistakes and challenges and move towards rectifying all gaps noticed for better delivery of the programme.

The AIP, which is Tonse Alliance’s flagship programme budgeted at K109.4 billion, is expected to benefit 2.5 million farming households, down from 3.7 million in the previous season.

The AIP succeeded the Farm Input Subsidy Programme which was implemented under the erstwhile governing Democratic Progressive Party which used to target 900 000 farming households.