By Wendy Mkandawire
Government has been urged to move quickly in distributing subsidized farm inputs under the Farm Inputs Subsidy Programme (FISP) to avoid plunging Malawians into hunger.
Agriculture expert Kareem Longwe said in an interview that while the early distribution of FISP coupons is commendable, it will count for nothing if fertilizer and seeds are delayed in reaching farmers.
Longwe warned that late distribution could see farmers missing the critical planting window, resulting in poor harvests and worsening poverty, especially among smallholder farmers who wholly depend on government support.
Despite praising government for timely distribution of coupons, he stressed that the real test is delivering the inputs on time, saying any delays would lead to poor yields as most farmers rely on the programme.
He further urged farmers to stay alert to weather forecasts from the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services amid predictions of El Niño conditions this season.
According to Longwe, many rural communities remain uninformed about weather patterns and should make use of radio bulletins to plan their farming activities accordingly.
Malawi is banking on this year’s FISP to improve food security after some districts registered low yields last season.
Ministry of Agriculture spokesperson Salomy Gangire was yet to comment on the matter as efforts to reach her proved futile by press time.
