Paramount Holdings saved Tonse Government Affordable Input Programme to stimulate food security
The Tonse Alliance government introduced the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) to provide high quality agricultural inputs to the farmers across the country through the support of various companies.
Agriculture remains the backbone of Malawi’s economy besides being a lifeline for the livelihood of every household. Hence, any support rendered to smallholder farmers plays a crucial role in the social and economic development of the nation.
Every family heavily rely on farming and yield of good crop. In addition to providing food and raw material, agriculture offers employment to a large population. Around 80 percent of the population rely directly on agriculture as a livelihood.
Without AIP, the supply of agricultural inputs such as urea and NPK would be limited, and the desired yield would not be achieved.
This would lead to disastrous outcomes such as the ruination of the livelihood of the population and the economy.
In 2021-2021, Paramount Holdings Limited (PHL) was the only company that successfully delivered its quota, including the most scare UREA.
The company supplied 61,340 metric tons to all the Smallholder Farmers’ Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) depots of which 41, 350 tons were that of the scarce UREA fertilizer.
Paramount Holdings Limited (PHL) has reiterated its commitment to constantly working with the Malawi Government in promoting smallholder farmers through provision of high-quality inputs across the country.
The PHL Chief Executive Officer, Prakash Ghedia, told Nyasa Times on Wednesday that his company will remain “forever committed” in complementing national efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition in Malawi.
“Paramount Holdings Limited” understand the importance of supporting and promoting smallholder farmers because they are the main players in agricultural production and the backbone of our economy. All our activities revolve around improving the livelihood of the farmers, from completing irrigation projects to supplying Urea in the remotest part of the country,” said Ghedia.
He added, “We make this decision cognizant of the fact that no one can eat money, but food. So, no matter how much money we may have in our pockets, it cannot keep us alive without food of which is produced by the smallholder in Dedza, Lilongwe, Mzimba, Karonga, Nsanje and Chikwawa districts. We understand their importance in our lives and consistently aim to provide them best possible platform to produce the best harvest.”
Meanwhile, the company has disclosed that it intends to stock over 40 metric tons of fertilizer in readiness for the next growing season.
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