President Lazarus Chakwera has launched the 2022/2023 Affordable Input Program (AIP) on November 19, 2022, at Maonde Primary School Ground in the area of Chief Kachere in Dedza District.

Chakwera said the government will try its best to make sure that Malawians are buying fertilizer seeds at a cheap price.

“Despite the Russian-Ukraine war affecting prices and availability of fertilizer, the government made some effort to ensure that the country access cheap fertilizer.” Said Chakwera.

Chakwera has also warned people about selling the fertilizer to neighboring countries and has put in place enough security in this year’s program.

“The number of beneficiaries coupled by good rains would translate to bumper yield which can save the country from hunger.” He said.

According to the Chairperson for AIP committee Richard Chimwendo Banda, the Covid-19 pandemic and the war from Russia-Ukraine has made the price of goods to rise since most of the fertilizer the country use’ comes from Russia.

Banda added that government is putting k5, 000 per bag of seed and k15, 000 per bag of fertilizer to help local farmer to afford the inputs.

On the other hand, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs(DODMA) has started distributing maize to districts that have been heavily affected by hunger.