By: Timothy Peter

Dedza, January 21, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Samuel Kawale says government is committed to ensuring steady supply of inorganic fertilizer to smallholder farmers in the country through National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).

Kawale said this on Tuesday after opening Khwakhwa Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) depot.

The Admark depot which was constructed under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), costed 46 Million Kwacha and is located in the area of Senior Chief Chauma in Dedza District.

Kawale said government introduced farm input loan through NEEF to allow small-holder farmers purchase more than two bags of fertilizer as compared to the Affordable Input Program (AIP) where each farmer is required to purchase two bags of subsidized fertilizer.

The minister said two bags may not be adequate for farmers to produce enough for food as well as commercial purposes. 

"The future of agriculture in Malawi is revolving towards commercialization where inputs are supposed to be available all year round. 

"We would want to assure farmers that there is going to be consistency in the supply of the inputs so that they can use them during the rainy season and also irrigation farming," he said.

The minister has since advised small-holder farmers to refrain from selling the redeemed fertilizer and use it for its intended purposes.

Senior Chief Chauma commended government through the Member of Parliament for the area, Dedza Central East Constituency, Joshua Malango for bringing the ADMARC depot closer to the people.

"I am very happy because the project has cut shorter the distances my subjects were traveling to access subsidized farm inputs like fertilizer or buy maize from ADMARC," he explained.

Dedza Central East Parliamentarian, Joshua Malango urged the people to take care of the ADMARC building as vandalizing it would result in people walking longer distances again to purchase fertilizer and maize.