Government has assured farmers that fertiliser will be available at all designated Farm Inputs Subsidy Programme (FISP) selling points across the country by mid-November 2026.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Erica Maganga, told this publication that 5,042.85 metric tonnes of fertiliser had been dispatched nationwide as of October 27.
The consignment comprises 2,636.4 metric tonnes of NPK and 2,406.45 metric tonnes of Urea. Initial deliveries prioritised remote districts and areas expecting early rainfall, including Chitipa, Likoma, Nkhata Bay, Mzimba, Mangochi, Nsanje, Neno, Chikwawa, Thyolo and Mulanje.
Maganga said all remaining districts were expected to receive their first consignments within the first two weeks of November to ensure farmers access inputs before planting.
She disclosed that the Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) had dispatched 7,060.25 metric tonnes to regional depots from the national FISP stock of 61,093 metric tonnes.
The Central Region had received 3,243.45 metric tonnes, followed by the Southern Region with 2,804 metric tonnes and the Northern Region with 1,012.80 metric tonnes.
Further deliveries will be made in phases, considering accessibility and rainfall patterns.
Several areas have already received fertiliser, including Chitipa, Usisya, Khosolo, Ntchisi, Mchinji, Dedza, Nkhotakota, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Neno, Mangochi and parts of Thyolo and Mulanje.
Maganga said the Ministry was monitoring redemption progress and had directed District Agriculture Offices to inform farmers about delivery schedules. “No farmer will be denied inputs once their designated selling point is stocked,” she assured.
Meanwhile, farmers awaiting subsidised fertiliser have been advised to prepare chinkhunzi manure for the production of Mbeya organic fertiliser, which takes 21 days to decompose.
Maganga said farmers would only need to add the required quantity of inorganic fertiliser once it becomes available, allowing them to use the organic fertiliser within the planting window.
On certified maize seed, she said processing, treatment and packaging were scheduled for the week beginning November 3, with supplies expected on the market from November 9.
An initial 10-metric-tonne batch was expected to be packaged, while a 765-metric-tonne contract was awaiting formal award after November 2.
The Ministry has also intensified monitoring at designated selling points to ensure transparency and compliance with FISP guidelines.
Maganga said corrective action, including replacing responsible personnel, had been taken in areas where irregularities such as non-compliant individual redemption and selling outside designated EPAs were detected.
She reaffirmed Government’s commitment to ensuring timely, transparent and accountable distribution of agricultural inputs to all eligible farmers ahead of the 2026/2027 farming season.
