50% of AIP beneficiaries redeem farm inputs
Only half of the targeted 3.6 million in the Affordable Input Program (AIP) have redeemed their cheap subsidized farm inputs with weeks before the program comes to an end.
Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe has confirmed that the number of AIP beneficiaries who have redeemed inputs has now reached 51 percent.
This has triggers fears that many more targeted beneficiaries might not be able to redeem the farm inputs due to glitches the program is facing.
Lowe said 180 000 metric tonnes have since been sold to close to two million farming households.
This year’s AIP is targeting K3.6 million beneficiaries.
Lowe said this is a remarkable achievement as it has surpassed last year’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) which targeted 900 000 beneficiaries.
However, he said there are still minor challenges in the implementation process as some suppliers are not going to hard-to-reach areas.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
50% realisation of delivery is FAIL. On matters like these, it is 100% required and nothing less because it involves lives of the people.Mr Lowe has failed the test of being a Minister. He will leave vulnerable all 1,8m people plus those that were removed from the original 4,2m plus tens of thousands who have been robbed by vendors. This AIP is a breeding ground for corruption needing to be thoroughly audited involving even allowing to come forward to testify by those people whose names were listed yet failed to redeem their fertilizer on premise of the system showing that… Read more »
Lowe mmutu mwake munachita lowe. How can he say they have reached 50% when some regions have not redeemed even 1?
Trying to impress before the cabinetc assessment. .