MALAWI-9,000 metric tons of fertilizers distributed tn ADMARC depots

— The Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Security has
managed to distribute 9000
metric tonnes of fertilizer to all
ADMARC depots and Small
Farmers Revolving Fund of
Malawi (SFFRFM) retail outlets.
The record is as of October 15,
2013.
According to Sarah Tione, Public
Relations Officer for the Ministry
said since the launch of the Farm
Input Subsidy Programme (FISP)
last month, the country has on
average managed to get 37
percent of NPK fertilizer and 33
percent of Urea fertilizer. "The
distribution to retail markets has
started and we are following a
distribution matrix which is
focusing on delivering first in
hard to reach areas if the rains
start. So far, we have sent
fertilizer to all districts in the
country and the process
continues so as to reach to all
markets."
"As of October 15, 2013 almost 9
thousand metric tonnes of
fertilizer has gone to both
ADMARC and SFFRFM retail outlets
across the country," she said.
Tione also said plans are
underway by the ministry to start
giving out coupons to farmers to
enable them access fertilizer in
good time.
"The launch of coupon
distribution will be done soon as
all plans are in place. Once the
coupon distribution starts,
beneficiaries can buy the
fertilizer within their locality," she
explained.
Unlike last year when the
progamme was faced with a
number of irregularities, this year
a good progress seem to have
been registered.
Tione said the fertilizer is
reaching the retail markets
without any diversions.
To avoid unscrupulous
beneficiaries in the programme,
the PRO said the Ministry has
directed chiefs to display names
of beneficiaries at an open place
a week before the actual
distribution date of the coupons.
This, the publicist explained, is to
give communities an opportunity
to crosscheck names and be sure
of every individual benefiting
from the programme.
Meanwhile, the ministry has
called on the media in the
country to help in informing the
nation about regularities facing
the programme.
"It is only when we work
together that we will reduce the
levels of malpractices in the
program. People should also
know the prices of fertilizer and
seed and be quick to report to
ACB, police or agriculture or any
other relevant authority for quick
response," she said.