With maize at the stage that demands fertiliser, only 384 211 of 1.1 million Fisp beneficiaries, representing at least 35 percent, have collected subsidised inputs.
This leaves out 715 789 farmers scrambling and experts warning that delayed application could translate into sharply reduced harvests.
Government is racing to deliver inputs under this year’s Farm Inputs Subsidy Programme (Fisp), but progress is lagging a month after the programme’s launch in Mchinji as nationwide redemption rate this year stands at about 35 percent far below the 60 percent achieved during the mid-December previous farming season, according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Simbileko Mwale of Mbwetu Village, Traditional Authority Chitukula in Lilongwe, planted in early December and says his maize now needs basal fertiliser, a window he fears is closing.
“We planted and the maize crop has reached the level where we need to apply fertiliser but we do not have fertiliser,” Mwale said, urging the government to speed up distribution so crops can still benefit.
“We know it is beyond when we were supposed to apply but then maybe if we get the fertilizer this week we may save the situation. We did not have a chance to buy the certified seeds. I think this is not part of the package this year” said Mwale
Helmes Lekodi from Kauma, Lilongwe, who missed out under the defunct Affordable Inputs Programme last year, said he fears a repeat of past failures.
Many farmers report long journeys to shops, long waits for deliveries, and growing anxiety as rains intensify and roads become harder to traverse.
In a written response, Fisp coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Justin Kagona said beneficiaries are still accessing inputs every day.
Kagona said 384 211 of the targeted 1.1 million beneficiaries had received inputs as of last Wednesday.
“Of the beneficiaries reached so far, 154 000 are male-headed and 230 211 are female-headed farming households,” he said.
Kagona, however, did not respond to our subsequent questions on efforts being undertaken to intensify distribution and target set to ensure that all beneficiaries have access to the inputs.
The redemption rate this year stands at about 35 percent far below the 60 percent achieved during the previous farming season.
The farmers’ concerns are also shared by Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) president Maness Nkhata.
Nkhata in an interview said the situation is causing panic among farmers who rely on the subsidy programme.
“The rains are here and soon farmers will be in need of fertiliser to apply in their fields. The intensification of the rains will even make some roads impassable; hence, farmers will be forced to travel long distances to redeem their fertiliser.
“We are also worried to see farmers spending more days at shops waiting for fertiliser to arrive, yet they could have used the time wasted to work in their fields. As a union of farmers, we have always said that Fisp is a good programme. However, the problem has been its implementation because it is always associated with delays” said Nkhata.
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) soil science professor Patson Nalivata warned the delay is a recipe for chaos in overall farm yield.
“Agriculture is a timely operation and when you have a crop and for it to grow it needs all nutrition elements. Those elements should be applied at a particular time and the moment you don’t sink them in time, there is an impact. You are likely to lose some percentage of yields depending on the amplitude of the delay. If fertiliser is not applied in time, it means we are starting at a negative end of the overall yield of the crop,” said Nalivata.
Agriculture think tank Mwapata Institute has expressed concern over the slow pace of input redemption under Fisp.
Mwapata executive director William Chadza fears the delay could lead to reduced yields.
“For those growing maize, untimely redemption and late application of fertiliser could lead to reduced grain yields, nutrient deficiencies and imbalances as plants have specific nutrient needs at different growth stages. Hopefully, there will be an acceleration in the redemption of inputs,” said Chadza.
The low redemption rate comes just a week after the Fertiliser Association of Malawi (FAM), one of the key players in the country’s agricultural sector said it is facing a significant financial burden in importing fertiliser and raw materials because the government has yet to settle debts dating back to previous subsidy programmes.
The association’s executive administrator Hannah Makhambera said the outstanding arrears are limiting their ability to secure credit lines, adding that local fertiliser firms have 42 432 metric tonnes of fertiliser in their warehouses.
She added that 140 752 metric tonnes are currently in transit, while 124 636 metric tonnes are on the high seas en route to the country.
Makhambera said the remaining 265 000 metric tonnes yet to arrive may affect not only the current Fisp which was launched with just 30 000 metric tonnes, but also general farming activities in the country.
In this year’s programme, government is targeting to distribute about 110 000 metric tonnes of fertiliser to 1.1 million beneficiaries. 35 percent of Fisp beneficiaries redeem inputs, experts raise fears this rate could lead to low yields.
