AIP delays yet again
Kawale: We are ready to roll out AIP
Beneficiaries of this year’s Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) will have to wait longer before they can begin purchasing inputs, as the government has yet to announce dates for opening the depots.
During a media briefing in Lilongwe on Monday, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale stated that while the government is prepared and has already begun distributing fertilizer to hard-to-reach areas, the official launch date for this year’s AIP is still pending.
“We are ready to roll out this year’s Affordable Inputs Program (AIP), and the launch will happen shortly. However, we have not yet set a specific date,” said Kawale.
“Despite this, we have already started distributing fertilizer in districts like Neno.”
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture Chairperson Sameer Suleman expressed concern over the delays, particularly since some areas have already started receiving rains.
He also raised doubts about the availability of fertilizer.
“To date, the government does not have the fertilizer. They are showing people fertilizer that doesn’t belong to them. We are puzzled as to why they haven’t purchased the commodity yet, despite us allocating funds in April,” Suleman remarked.
This year, around 1,054,945 farmers are expected to benefit from the AIP.
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