National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef) launched fertilizer loans on Monday to help farmers avert food insecurity among households in the country.
Speaking during the launch on Monday in Dowa and Ntchisi, Information and Digitalization Minister, who is also government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu, said the launch is in line with President Lazarus Chakwera’s vision of ensuring that subsistence farmers go commercial.
He said: “This program is not only going to transform their households but also their communities and help create jobs for others.”
Kunkuyu then expressed optimism that the loan will benefit the targeted beneficiaries and that it will serve its intended purpose.
“The program is not trying to train someone into a fertilizer vendor but train farmers to go into commercial farming,” he said.
Neef board chairperson, Jephta Mtema said the fertilizer loan has helped ease farmers’ burden in accessing fertilizers.
“We are very much excited that we have now cut out one of the activities that farmers were going to do, like looking out for fertilizer, because we have given them direct input instead of cash,” he said.
Senior Chief Dzoole of Dowa said he is excited that the fertilizer loan will help ease the hunger situation among his subjects.
He then appealed to the beneficiaries not to offer the fertilizers on sale.
One of the beneficiaries, Eunice Mpanika from Khumalo village in the area of T/A Mponela, said the fertilizer loan will help her household become food secure and help generate household income.
“My family was food insecure in the last growing season because we had only harvested two bags, and this time around, I expect to harvest close to 50 bags due to the fertilizer loan I have received,” she said.
Neef is expected to give out a K150 Billion loan in cash and fertilizer this farming season, and the fertilizer loan is expected to benefit at least 400,000 farmers in the country.
By Kondwani Kandiado
