Around 80 percent of the beneficiaries have benefitted from subsidised farm inputs in the Response to Emergencies and Disasters (RED) component under the second phase of the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) in Lilongwe district.
SAPP II National Programme Coordinator Rex Baluwa disclosed this during a visit by Ministry of Agriculture and SAPP officials to beneficiaries of the programme in the area of Senior Chief Kalumbu in the district
The major objective of the RED component under the SAPP II Programme is to cater mostly for emergencies and disasters and reduce food insecurity of affected populations and restore their livelihoods.
Following President Peter Mutharika’s declaration of state of national disaster related to food security last year, the project approached International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) for assistance.
During negotiations, the organization agreed to the proposals made to assist Malawian farmers easily source inputs to boost the 2025-26 agriculture season.
IFAD pumped in $3 million to boost government initiatives such as the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) and procured 2200 metric tonnes of fertilizers; 1100 metric tones of NPK and 1100 metric tones of Urea
In addition, beneficiaries also receive maize seed, targeting around 22,000 farmers with five kilogrammes bags; 17,950 beneficiaries from Lilongwe district and 4050 in Balaka
The National Programme Coordinator indicated that in Balaka, all the 4050 beneficiaries have received two bags of fertilizers, one bag NPK; one bag of Urea and 5kg maize seed.
The maize seed is fully paid by the project meaning the farmers were redeeming at zero cost while for the fertilisers, they were redeeming at K10, 000 in alignment with the government’s FISP initiative.
“For Lilongwe I’m also happy that the programme is progressing very well because out of the 17,950 beneficiaries, I’m told around 80 percent of the beneficiaries have so far benefitted from the programme and I’m positive that by the end of this month, all the intended beneficiaries would have accessed all the necessary inputs that we have under the RED component.” he disclosed
Baluwa applauded government through the Department of Agriculture Extension Services for its role in providing extension to farmers which he was upbeat will improve the country’s food security.
Efelo Goliati from Kalonga Village in the area of Group Village Mwangawa spoke highly on the recommended agricultural practices they are being taught which she said has improved farming in the area.
She stated that she planted in November last year and on 10th December she applied fertilizer from the SAPP II project which has helped her maize crop to grow well.
She is doing her farming on a 2 acres piece of land and proudly said issues of hunger are now a thing of the past as in last year alone, she harvested 104 bags and this year she expects 170 bags.
Goliati said she bought Mbidzi seed after the rains had already started and during the period, disaster struck as her house fell down.
She explained that if it weren’t for SAAP, maybe she could have sold her livestock to enable her buy fertilizer or to do some piecework to purchase the commodity.
“My message to SAAP is that I’m grateful for their timely intervention and they should continue especially here in Senior Chief Kalumbu area. There are many people who have no capacity to buy fertilizer and my appeal is that they should increase the number of beneficiaries because only three people were picked. There is therefore need to consider more people”