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K30m Fisp coupons reported stolen at Optichem shops

About 2 075 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) coupons worth over K31 million have gone missing from two different Optichem shops at Namitambo in Chiradzulu and Nkhonya in Mulanje.

Optichem Malawi Limited managing director Bobby Singh confirmed the incident in an interview last week, saying early this month, thugs broke into an Optichem shop in Mulanje and went away with 1 944 coupons and over K9 million while days later, another Optichem shop in Chiradzulu was broken into and 131 coupons worth K1 965 000 and K858 000 cash were stolen.

Smallholders wait to redeem their supplies using coupons

He said the missing coupons, which were already redeemed by Fisp beneficiaries, cannot be reused as they were all stamped.

Singh said: “It is true that robbers broke into two of our depots and stole coupons and cash. We stamped all the coupons and we recorded their serial numbers. We urge our fellow suppliers to check the coupons properly before allowing beneficiaries to access the inputs.” 

Singh said police have since arrested some suspects in connection with the theft.

Asked what security measures were put on coupons to avoid reuse of the redeemed coupons, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Principal Secretary Grey Nyandule Phiri said redeemed coupons cannot be reused if suppliers follow procedures in the redemption exercise.

He said: “If the supplier wants to take a coupon from a farmer in exchange of fertiliser, they are supposed to immediately stamp that coupon. So, if they [Optichem] followed the procedures, I believe no one can reuse the coupons. I personally haven’t seen the missing coupons but I have just heard that they were stolen.”

Two weeks ago, police in Mchinji arrested an agro-dealer for allegedly misappropriating money for Demeter Agricultural Limited and being found in possession of 61 Fisp coupons bearing Chikwawa District serial numbers. 

In the 2018/19 National Budget, in which K151 billion was given to the ministry, K42 billion was allocated to Fisp which targeted one million farmers.   

Fisp was launched in 2005 to help poor farmers improve food security, but it has faced criticism from some members of Parliament and civil society organisations who argue that the initiative is one of the channels politicians use to siphon taxpayer’s money and should be abolished.

The stakeholders opt for universal subsidy while others urge government to invest in irrigation farming as it is one of the sustainable ways to enhance agriculture productivity in the country.

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