Cisanet tips government on Fisp planning

Civil Society Agriculture Network (Cisanet) has called on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to start planning and designing a makeshift subsidy programme even in the absence of political leadership.

In a statement released yesterday and signed by its national director Tamani Nkhono-Mvula, Cisanet says it is worried that the delay in forming the next government will have a toll effect on agricultural production.

“Over the past seven years, Malawi has been having a surplus production and this has mainly been due to the Farm Input Subsidy Programme [Fisp], which is totally dependent on the national budget.

“With delays in instituting a government, it may also hold up in passing the budget, thereby delaying in procurement and distribution of fertiliser and seed under the Fisp, leading to low productivity and increase the possibility of a hunger crisis,” reads the statement.

Cisanet, however, adds that it fully understands the challenges and the dilemma the ministry may face due to the fact that different political parties have different views on the subsidy programme with some talking about universal subsidy while others are talking about continuing with the current arrangement.