By Cathy Maulidi:
President Lazarus Chakwera Wednesday told Parliament that K94 billion has been released for this year’s Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP)— out of the K132 billion which is in the revised budget for the programme.
Chakwera said this when he was responding to a question from Rumphi East Member of Parliament Kamlepo Kalua, who wanted to know the status of the programme.
“With the rainy season already underway, and most beneficiaries yet to receive inputs, how does Your Excellency’s administration plan to ensure timely and effective delivery of the AIP this year?” Kalua asked.
- Advertisement -
In response, Chakwera said though there were challenges such as that of shortage of forex, his administration was making progress in delivering the programme.
- Advertisement -
“In terms of funding, K94 billion has been released and, in terms of cumulative sales, 322,348 [bags] of NPK, which is representing 31 percent, and 286,522 [bags of] Urea, representing 27 percent [have been distributed]; thus a total of 608,870 bags representing 29 percent and 330,566 packs of seeds, representing 31 percent,” Chakwera said.
“The approach this year was to prioritise the hard-to-reach areas then, secondly, [to supply inputs] to areas that can be accessible anytime, even during the rainy season. So, now the work is moving to accessible areas. I would like to assure the House that all registered farmers will be reached with the fertilisers within effective time,” Chakwera added.
After Kalua’s question, Nkhata Bay North West legislator Julius Chione Mwase asked a supplementary question to the President.
He wanted to know if the First Citizen was aware that fertiliser prices had gone up.
- Advertisement -
“Your Excellency, are you aware that a bag of fertiliser is currently selling at K105,000, which is far higher than the K4,495 you promised Malawians per [50 kilogramme] bag during the campaign? What actions have you taken to ensure that Malawians can purchase a [50kg] bag of fertiliser at the promised price? And given this current status, can you confidently say that your government is delivering?” Chione Mwase said.
In response, Chakwera said he was aware of the issue of rising prices.
He, however, asked people to look at the positive side of the prices.
“In the past, we used to sell five to six bags of maize to buy one bag of fertiliser but now a farmer sells two bags, even two-and-a-half bags, to buy that same bag of fertiliser. Soya that was selling at just K100 per kilogramme now sells at K1,500 per kilogramme. Tobacco sales have also improved. So, the equation should not just be seen at one end; we need to see both,” Chakwera said.
He asked the opposition to start seeing things differently.
“Farmers used to sell eight bags of maize just to buy one bag of fertiliser but now they can do the opposite. Something is working despite the propaganda,” Chakwera said.
But reacting to the development, Chairperson for the Agriculture Committee of Parliament Sameer Suleman said what the President said on fertiliser prices only confirmed that Malawi had a clueless leader.
“What was he thinking when he said that? Is he backing the increase in prices of goods on the market? His response to Honourable Chione Mwase’s question only shows that we have a clueless leader, one who knows nothing,” Suleman said.
On the AIP redemption rate, Suleman said time was running out for earmarked beneficiaries.
“The rains are already here. In some areas, farmers have already planted seeds and desperately need fertiliser. As such, it is disheartening to hear the President saying that we are at 29 percent, in terms of farm inputs distribution,” Suleman said.
On the Order Paper, Machinga East lawmaker Esther Jolobala was supposed to ask the last question but the question was not asked after Leader of the House Richard Chimwendo Banda said allocated time would not be extended.
She wanted to know if the President was aware of reports that some Malawians were facing hunger across the country, such that some of the hunger-stricken people were resorting to eating buffalo beans— locally known as chitedze— to survive.
Giving her reaction to the development, Jolobala said she was disappointed that the President “sidestepped” her question, which, “to me, is a very important question”.
“We come here to represent Malawians. The same Malawians are eating chitedze. They need help, which isn’t coming.
“Instead of the President addressing that question, he chose to run away from it,” Jolobala said.
In addition, Chakwera responded to two questions from the government bench that pertained to roads, air transportation and the awarding of contracts.
He also answered two more questions from the opposition. They revolves around the country’s economic status and AIP.
