Members of Parliament have urged the Minister of Agriculture to swiftly address issues hindering the implementation of the 2024/2025 Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to ensure timely access for beneficiaries.
The call was made on Monday after Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale delivered a ministerial statement on the National Agriculture Management Information System (NAMIS), which MPs argued has disrupted AIP’s effectiveness this year.
Joshua Malango (Dedza Central East), Esther Jolobala (Machinga East), Ajilu Kalitendere, and others pressed the minister to clarify when the ministry would resolve the challenges. Key concerns raised included mismatched names, fertilizer shortages, and omissions from the beneficiary list.
“Information from NAMIS is different from the data provided to selling points about beneficiaries,” said Esther Jolobala, MP for Machinga East.
Rumphi East MP Kamlepo Kalua described the situation as alarming, warning that many people might miss out on inputs. “I expected the minister to come up with a statement on this serious issue,” Kalua stated, urging the ministry to focus on resolving the issues and ensuring fertilizer availability for all intended beneficiaries.
On hunger relief efforts, Jolobala expressed frustration over delayed maize distribution in her constituency. She noted that the government had promised the World Food Programme (WFP) would distribute food in October and November, with government distributions resuming in December, but no updates have been provided.
“I wonder why government is not saying anything about that issue. On top of that, Machinga District Council has no information on when WFP will distribute food to affected households,” Jolobala added.
In response, Minister Kawale acknowledged the AIP implementation challenges linked to the NAMIS system. “Let me assure you that my ministry is aware and is fixing all the challenges to make sure that targeted beneficiaries access the inputs,” Kawale said, adding that an IT and consultancy team is working on solutions.
Despite his assurances, MPs expressed dissatisfaction, emphasizing the need for immediate action. Kawale is expected to present another ministerial statement on AIP and maize distribution before the mid-year budget review meeting concludes on December 20, 2024.
