The Umodzi Party has expressed deep concern over growing irregularities in this year’s Affordable Inputs Program (AIP), which is threatening the program’s success and undermining the government’s efforts to achieve food security.
In a statement, the party president Thomas Wezzie Kaumba, said several program beneficiaries are facing significant challenges, including missing names from the beneficiaries’ lists and incorrect representation of names. These irregularities are frustrating the intended purpose of the AIP and causing unnecessary distress among smallholder farmers who rely on the program to access affordable agricultural inputs.
Kaumba said reports from chiefs across the country indicate that despite complaints being lodged with the responsible authorities, little to no action has been taken to address these issues. The party cites specific examples from the area of Group Village Head Nzeru in Traditional Authority Nsomba in Blantyre.
“As a true Tonse Alliance partner, committed to the welfare of all Malawians, we call upon the Ministry of Agriculture to urgently intervene and rectify these anomalies,” states the party. “All eligible beneficiaries must be provided with their inputs on time. Ensuring efficiency and transparency in the AIP is critical for the nation to realize its goal of achieving sustainable food security.”
Umodzi Party says it remains steadfast in advocating for the needs of Malawians and has urged responsible authorities to prioritize this issue to prevent further disruptions to the farming season.
