Government has suspended the 2018/19 Malawi Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) following irregularities during coupon distribution and supplier coupon redemption.
This has been revealed in a press statement signed by Secretary for Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Gray Nyandule.
According to Nyandule, the ministry wants to align, reconcile and consolidate the distribution processes in all the districts in arrangement with planned distribution figures.
The Ministry has advised farmers that companies will not receive any coupons from 7th November 2018 until the alignment exercise is completed.
It has further requested all farmers that have received the FISP coupons and have not accessed the inputs to safely keep them for use when the input outlets reopen for the redemption of the coupons.
In the statement, the ministry has assured farmers that are yet to access the coupons as well as suppliers that the distribution and redemption will resume soon.
During this year’s FISP, 1 million farming households are expected to benefit. This is 100,000 more than the 900,000 beneficiaries in the last growing season.
The ministry said on Monday that in Chitipa, it will give inputs to 15,700 households while in Karonga the target is 15,200 households.
According to the ministry, 14,100 people will benefit in Nkhatabay, with 800 farming households in Likoma, 58,100 in Mzimba and 62,700 in Kasungu.
A total number of 40,500 farming households will benefit in Mchinji, 29,200 in Ntchisi and 52,900 in Dowa.
