The Government of Malawi will launch the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) in Dedza district on 19th November, weeks after K750 million was lost in the procurement of fertilizer for the program.
Secretary for Agriculture Medrina Mloza Banda has said in a statement today that the Ministry of Agriculture together with councils has completed identification and registration of 2,500,000 farming households.
Banda added that most of the required fertilizer is already in the country.
According to Banda, the main source of fertilizer for the program is procurement by Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi as well as donations from Morocco, World Food Programme and African Development Bank.
“The government has therefore cancelled the procurement of fertilizer using local tender agreement. The inflow of donations from several development partners has necessitated the move to cancel the process,” reads part of the statement.
It was revealed last month that government was duped out of K750 million which was paid to United Kingdom based company Barkaat Foods Limited for procurement of fertilizer.
The Attorney General has told the local media that preliminary findings have shown that the payment was fraudulent and aimed at defrauding the government.
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