Malawi farm input programme chaotic as farmers fail to plant  

Subsistence farmers in central region are yet to plant after the onset of planting rains last week because of government failure to provide them with subsided farm inputs.

Farmers in Ntchisi, Mchinji, Dowa, Lilongwe and other areas are yet to receive coupons which will earn them cheap maize and legumes seeds and fertilizer.

“This is really chaos. When the coupons arrive, they will be useless,” complained a farmer Amon Banda in Lilongwe.

He said the problem is compunded with corruption as some officials demand money before the farmers buy the farm inoputs.

Farm Input Subsidy Program coordinator Osborne Tseke confirmed the central region is yet to receive the coupons which are yet to arrive from abroad.

“We are expecting them anyday from today (Sunday) and this will be just on time for planting,” he said.

He said the coupons are printed abroad and brought in Malawi just on time to avoid fraudulent activities.

But the  Civil Society Network for Agriculture Tamani Nkhono Mvula said this was a recipe for low harvest next year.

He said farmers delay to plant would negatively affect production.