By Pemphero Malimba:
The National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef) says it has reached out to over 30,000 farmers with fertiliser.
Neef is targeting 400,000 farmers under its farm inputs loan programme.
Neef Chief Executive Officer Humphrey Mdyetseni revealed this during the launch of the initiative in Lilongwe North East Constituency, Lilongwe District, Thursday.
At the event, the organisation distributed 300 bags of NPK fertiliser to farmers in the area, which is under Traditional Authority Chimutu.
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Mdyetseni said they planned to reach out to more farmers by the end of this month.
“We are not worried because our target is that, for farmers that cultivate maize and other crops that require fertiliser the soonest, we should hit the 100,000 or 200,000 milestone at least by January 31. We believe that January 31 is a reasonable time because there are still parts of the country that could still be applying fertiliser, either basal dressing or top dressing, by the time we reach them by end of this month,” he said.
He said the fund would improve its operations to fast-track the initiative.
“We are going to pull up our socks so that the other remaining hundreds of thousands of farmers are going to be supported through the programme to cultivate other crops that do well in the months of February, March and April. There are tubers, legumes and other types of crops that still require farmers to be assisted with farm inputs,” he said.
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Mdyetseni said Neef’s approach had been working.
“Our approach is a blended approach, where we are providing inputs and cash. So, we are very sure that we will meet the demands of the season,” he said.
Parliamentarian for the area Winston Kaimapanjira said he would be working with other local leaders in ensuring that farmers use the fertiliser for its intended purpose.
“We will also make sure that farmers pay back the loan because the purpose of this fertiliser is for them to have enough yield and also to do their businesses properly,” Kaimapanjira said.
One of the beneficiaries, Getrude Nyemba, commended Neef for the initiative.
“We have received 102 bags of fertiliser which will be distributed among the eight of us. We hope that we will harvest more at the end of this growing season,” Nyemba said.
The inputs are part of the K150 billion which the government, through Neef, set aside for the provision of loans in the form of farm inputs, among others.
