The suspension was announced a few weeks ago to clear a backlog of beneficiaries whose national IDs had been scanned.
However, the president of the Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM), Manes Nkhata, has expressed concerns over the impact this will have on farmers who rely on the AIP for access to affordable fertilizer.
Nkhata has called on the government to take action to ensure all farmers benefit from this year’s program.
Food security expert Ronald Chilumpha also weighed in on the situation, stating that the suspension will not help small-scale farmers achieve food security and could lead to food insecurity in the country.
The farming community and those concerned with food security are closely watching the government’s response to the suspension of the fertilizer redemption program.
Will the government take action to ensure all farmers have access to the inputs they need? Time will tell, but for now, the future of Malawi’s food security remains uncertain.
Many farmers across the country are yet to access the fertilizer under the AIP