The Ministry of Agriculture says it has started preparing for implementation of the 2024- 25 season Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).
Principal Secretary for Agriculture Dickxie Kampani said they want to ensure timely and effective implementation.
Kampani said it is the government’s wish that this year’s season be implemented according to plan.
“We are currently working on key parameters such as targeting methods and the number of beneficiaries,” Kampani said.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture Chairperson Sameer Suleman has commended the government for taking steps early.
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“We do not want to hear that the Minister [of Agriculture] is searching for fertilisers, a task that can be done by Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi. Let tenders be done openly and the right suppliers be identified.
“Otherwise, we, as a committee, will soon meet. We would also like to meet with ministry officials so that they can update us on progress being made,” Suleman said.
Recently, the committee issued a seven-day ultimatum to the ministry to release the previous year’s AIP report or face a parliamentary audit on resource usage.
About K238 billion was allocated for last year’s AIP, which culminated in 1.7 million people getting fertiliser, seeds and livestock.
