Few AIP depots worry beneficiaries

Beneficiaries of Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) have expressed fears that they may not be able to redeem inputs on time due to limited access points through Smallholder Fertliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM).

The Nation spot checks in various districts have established that SFFRFM has few depots in some districts while other districts have none. This is despite markets for the State produce trader Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) not being fully operational.

In an interview, Senior Chief Kayembe of Dowa District described the situation as worrisome, saying it is not helping people in remote areas as they have to travel long distances to access the farm inputs.

She said despite a month elapsing since this year’s AIP was rolled out, some farmers are not sure on whether they are going to have access to the affordable inputs.

Said the chief: “It’s been a month since the roll out of AIP, but beneficiaries from Chisepo EPA [extension planning area] are yet to start buying the farm inputs. I tried to engage some government officials on the issue but to no avail.

“We are still waiting for relevant stakeholders to come to our rescue, failing which it means farmers will be forced to travel from Chisepo to Nambuma to buy the inputs; hence, another additional money for transportation.”

Kayembe has since urged the government to resolve the issues with speed, saying it will be hard for farmers to access the farm inputs in the middle of the rainy season when roads will be impassable.

Chikwawa District AIP coordinator Francis Masitala said SFFRFM does not have a depot in the district and that the situation has left beneficiaries dependent on mobile vending facilities, which is delaying access to the inputs.

He said: “SFFFRM employees travel from Blantyre to scan the beneficiaries’ identity cards [IDs] so that they can bring the equivalent bags of fertliser. The process is taking long and it is will affect farming activities.”

Masitala said out of 48 393 beneficiaries in the district, about 600 had accessed the inputs as of Friday.

In Chiradzulu District, The Nation established that there are only three SFFRFM depots.

The district’s agribusiness officer Charles Nyirenda conceded that the centres are not enough as evidenced by the congestion.

He said: “AIP is in progress as we have received fertiliser. However, it is worrisome that the district’s sole fertiliser supplier is SFFRFM which has few depots.

“ SFFR M h a s established three markets at Namitambo Trading Centre under Thumbwe EPA, Milepa Trading Centre under Mombezi EPA and Namadzi Trading Centre under Mbulumbuzi EPA.”

Besides overcrowding at the selling points, Nyirenda said slow network and irregular flow of inputs are other challenges affecting the sale of subsidised inputs in the district.

In Dedza District, Golomoti and Kabwazi EPA are yet to start accessing the farm inputs despite that in some areas maize has grown to a level of applying basal dressing.

Dedza Central East consitituency’s Chongoni Ward councillor Boniface Nedi expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s move to rely on SFFRFM as the sole supplier of the inputs.

He observed that things could have been better if Admarc was part of the AIP distribution programme as it has depots even in rural areas.

Said the councillor: “It is a worrisome development that reaching this far we are not sure as to when these Golomoti and Kabwazi EPAs are going to have the farm inputs available in their selling points.

“This could have been the right time for a farmer to have fertiliser so that they can apply in their gardens at a right time. If the government is to take longer to resolve the issues, it means there will be hunger next year.”

However, Karonga AIP district coordinator Silence M’wanje said there is progress in AIP sales, but cited irregular flow of inputs as a big challenge.

“We are making progress in the sales. Network challenges have been resolved but inadequate supply of imputs remains a challenge. NPK is available but we do not have Urea,” he said.

Meanwhile, Farmers Union of Malawi president Manesi Nkhata has blamed government’s move to single out SFFRFM for the implementation of this year’s AIP, saying it has led to the reduction in the selling points.

She said: “The programme has faced several hiccups from the start. Reaching this far, the government could have resolved these problems to ensure farmers’ timely access to the inputs.”

According to the 2022/23 AIP implementation guidelines, government said that it identified companies to participate in the programme through a competitive bidding process.

Writing on his Facebook page, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said Admarc was expected to open markets on December 1 this year, adding that its employees would be called to work.

The minister also promised to recruit 1 000 clerks to speed up implementation of AIP, but to date there is no traceable progress on the ground.

Our efforts to have Admarc or the Ministry of Agriculture comment on the matter proved futile as Admarc acting general manager Ethel Zilirakhasu said the ministry was better-placed to comment on the matter.

Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson Geoffrey Banda did not pick up his phone while Kawale did not respond to our questionnaire by press time.

Experts have warned of poor harvest in the next season following the poorly managed AIP this growing season.