By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, January 9, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale is impressed with the progress of Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) in Chiradzulu District where most AIP beneficiaries have managed to buy fertilizer.

Kawale made the remarks in the district on Tuesday when he visited Chiradzulu Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund (SFFRFM) to appreciate how the selling of affordable inputs is going on in the district.

Kawale was happy to see depots fully stocked with fertilizer saying government is doing a good job to ensure that people have access to affordable farm inputs.

“We have heard from clerks, councilors and the Member of Parliament that AIP went extremely well in Chiradzulu.

“I am happy that almost everyone bought fertilizer and we have so much stock in the warehouses where clerks are waiting for people to come and buy,” said Kawale who later visited maize selling points.

He said government expects a lot of farmers to have good harvest this year saying all the challenges that marred AIP were solved.

He added that people who are currently spreading information that AIP is facing challenges are not aware of the real situation on the ground.

Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu Central Constituency, McTimes Malowa said out of 1900 AIP beneficiaries in the area, 85 percent have accessed their fertilizer and is optimistic that the remaining 15 percent will buy their fertilizer because the depots are fully stocked.

He said: “Going forward, we urge government to consider registering AIP beneficiaries based on Village Head Areas instead of Group Village Heads. This will ensure that every village has enough beneficiaries because the number of beneficiaries was very low in other villages.”

In his remarks, Group Village Head Mbalame hailed government for ensuring that people in his area have access to affordable farm inputs.

 He appealed to government to consider increasing the number of beneficiaries in the next farming season so that the area can achieve food security.