We don’t benefit from fertilizer subsidy – farmers

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Fertiliser subsidy malawi

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has claimed that farmers have no interest in getting coupons for them to access subsidized farm inputs arguing they don’t benefit from the Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP).

The sentiments come at time when Malawi has received its first consignment of coupons which arrived on Friday from United Kingdom (UK) where the coupons were printed.

Alfred Kapichira Banda
Kapichira Banda: Farmers do not need coupons.

Commenting on the arrival of the coupons, FUM chairperson Alfred Kapichila Banda said farmers do not need coupons for them to have inputs at lower price.

“Farmers say they are not welcoming those coupons, they receive those coupons due to the fact that it is the wish of the government,” said Kapichila Banda.

He suggested that government must consider giving young farmers idle land to produce more maize for the country to be food secure.

FISP has been criticised since it was introduced with critics arguing poor farmers do not benefit.

The program was introduced to allow small scale farmers access fertilizers and seeds at lower price.