Subsidized farm inputs overcoming food insecurity, boosting incomes

Beneficiaries of the subsidized farm inputs programme under the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP II) financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have hailed the initiative as a real game changer, in attaining food security at household level.

Through the initiative, maize seed is fully paid for by the project meaning the farmers redeemed it at zero cost while fertilisers were redeemed at K10, 000 per 50- kilogramme bag in line with the government's Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP).

One of the beneficiaries, Lezina Keliyasi, explained that after being shortlisted as one of the recipients of the subsidized inputs, preparations in her maize field started in earnest.

She confessed that previously, she was just doing farming without properly taking care of her crops and not applying enough fertiliser but now the approach is different.

“The coming in of the affordable fertiliser from SAPP II has enabled me to apply it in my maize garden this year and the expectation is that I will have a bumper harvest of not less than 80 bags per acre.

“Here in T/A Kalumbu’s area we used to harvest maize but it wasn’t enough to last the whole year at our household; but this time around as a family, we will have enough to eat and some to sell, we expect to do more business as SAPP II is encouraging us to generate more income,” said Keliyasi.

SAPP II comes after the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) which was also funded by IFAD and supported farmers with different interventions, including livestock pass-on programme.

SAPP II has the Response to Emergencies and Disasters (RED) component which mostly caters for access to food security at household level. It is a complementary initiative to FISP targeting smallholder farmers affected by disaster. However, some of the beneficiaries under the component reported increased prospects of income from the yields.

Keliyasi has since urged fellow farmers to be self-starters, determined and use organic manure for their crops so that they should not only rely on government support.

Senior Group Village Headman Kalumbu from Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe indicated that he was happy with the progress made.

The chief explained that when the RED component started in Nyanja Extension Planning Area (EPA), identified beneficiaries received free certified maize seed and redeemed fertiliser on time.

Senior Group Village Headman Kalumbu said farmers expect to harvest more than 80 bags courtesy of the advice from extension staff encouraging farmers to follow good agriculture practices.

He called on his subjects to be involved in farming activities in order to achieve food and income security.