By Suleman Chitera
The Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), introduced under outgoing President Lazarus Chakwera and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP), was meant to uplift millions of smallholder farmers by providing cheap fertilizer and seed. Instead, the programme has been marred by corruption, fraud, and poor management, leaving Malawians questioning whether billions of kwacha were lost to abuse.
Billions Lost Through Fake Fertilizer Deals
Investigations revealed that government engaged ghost companies in shady fertilizer procurement contracts.
A K128 billion deal was signed with a fake Romanian company, East Bridge Estate, which never had the capacity to deliver fertilizer.
Another K750 million contract was awarded to Barkaat Foods Ltd in the UK, a company with no track record of supplying fertilizer. Both contracts collapsed, and millions of taxpayers’ money were wasted.
Farmers Forced to Pay More
Instead of enjoying subsidized fertilizer at K15,000 per bag, farmers in districts reported being forced to pay up to K150,000. Reports show that greedy officials, police officers, and intermediaries hijacked fertilizer meant for poor households and resold it at inflated prices.
Ghost Beneficiaries and Political Abuse
The AIP system was also abused through ghost farmers, duplicate registrations, and politically connected individuals accessing fertilizer meant for vulnerable families. Critics say this created “briefcase farmers” who sold their allocations on the black market, undermining the spirit of the subsidy.
Delays and Poor Distribution
Year after year, farmers received fertilizer late into the rainy season, reducing productivity and worsening food insecurity. Trucks were stuck at depots, contracts were delayed, and suppliers often failed to deliver on time, raising suspicions of deliberate sabotage to cover up corruption.
Leadership Failure and Dismissals
In 2022, President Chakwera was forced to fire Agriculture Minister Lobin Lowe and his deputy after the scandal grew too big to ignore. He admitted that the AIP had failed, calling it a “flop.” But for critics, this was too little too late—billions had already been lost, and farmers left desperate.
Nepotism and Lack of Accountability
Beyond procurement scandals, the MCP administration faced accusations of nepotism and favoritism in appointments and distribution of resources. Opposition leaders argue that the fertilizer subsidy became a political tool to reward MCP loyalists while ordinary Malawians suffered.
The Big Question: Who Benefits?
While AIP was designed to fight hunger, its abuse under President Lazarus Chakwera’s leadership has raised concerns about whether the subsidy truly benefits farmers or simply enriches politicians, suppliers, and corrupt officials.
