By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, November 27, Mana: Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resource at Kasungu District Council, Evelyn Chima says changes that government has effected in the implementation of the Agriculture Inputs Programme (AIP) have helped to tighten security, ensuring that only targeted households benefit from the initiative.
Among others, this year’s redemption process requires a facial scanning of the beneficiaries, effectively cutting off vendors who used to buy the inputs from beneficiaries in the previous years.
“We used to complain that inputs were missing in the beneficiaries’ allocations and that vendors were redeeming the inputs after buying the IDs from beneficiaries.
“This time, those things are not there because the facial features required have sieved out all the vendors. It’s a feature we have always been asking and we are happy that it has been done,” she said in an interview on Wednesday in Kasungu.
Kasungu District has a total of 63 249 beneficiaries in the 2024/25 AIP programme.
Asked on the progress so far, Chima said the redemption exercise started immediately after the programme was officially launched hence many farmers have accessed the fertiliser in good time.
“For Kasungu, the growing season starts mid-November, all the way to early December. The selling of inputs started in October meaning many households have accessed fertilisers in good time.
“As of November 20, redemption was at 31 percent. This is good progress and an improvement if compared to last year and I hope by this time the figures have significantly improved,” she said.
At least 20, 000 bags of NPK and about 7, 000 bags of Urea have been redeemed, with figures expected to rise exponentially as rains begin this November end when many farmers are expected to start planting.
“We agreed to start deliveries in hard to reach areas so that when rains begin, we should not have challenges as some roads become impassable.
“This explains why some areas have lower redemption rates than others. But in some constituencies, redemption rate is as high as 46 percent, giving hope that many people will have accessed the inputs as the month ends,” Chima said.
Senior Chief Chidzuma lamented the reduction in the number of beneficiaries from about 91 000 to 63 249 this year, calling on government to consider raising the numbers.
“The good thing is fertiliser is available. We have fertiliser in the depots but we have two challenges.
“Firstly, the numbers of beneficiaries have been reduced. We would have loved if we had more added. Secondly, there are network glitches which affect the redeeming process. We also appeal to those responsible to fix this challenge,” he said
Chidzuma added there are some confusions in some cases where names of beneficiaries appear in a wrong constituency hence the household cannot redeem the inputs.
“We brought this issue to the attention of authorities. We were promised that they will work on it. Nevertheless, we are thankful to government for this programme,” he said.
Chairperson for Chakhala Village Development Committee in the area of Senior Chief Njombwa under Lisasazi Extension Planning Area (EPA), mike Mdambo echoed Njombwa’s sentiments on the need to work on the names that appear in wrong constituencies.
A beneficiary under Chulu EPA, Elina Banda expressed gratitude to government for ensuring early availability of fertilisers, saying accessing inputs in good time contributes to yielding good harvest.
At least 1.1 million households are expected to benefit from this year’s AIP funded to the tune of K161 billion.
