The Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) president Enock Chihana has told President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government to stop purchasing Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) fertilizer through middlemen.
The son to one of Malawi’s fearless freedom fighters late Chakufwa Chihana, Enoch was speaking during a political rally he addressed on Tuesday at Bvumbwe Research Ground in Thyolo district.
Addressing hundreds of supporters, Chihana said government needs to plan in advance, the procurement of fertilizer under the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).
“Feteleza sitigula ngati chitumbuwa. Zimafunika kuyika ma pulani, monga kuyitanitsa feteleza komwe amapangidwa nthawi yabwino, chifukwa amatenga masiku 21- kapena 45 kuti matani 25 000 afike mdziko muno,” said Chihana
The 2025 presidential hopeful Chihana then promised to reform the AIP program once ushered to power saying the program will target orphans, elderly and civil servants among others.
On Monday, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale, said government has engaged 13 companies to supply 149,164 metric tonnes of fertilizer for the 2023-2024 Affordable Inputs Program (AIP),
Kawale added that the companies already have about 80000 metric tonnes of fertilizer in the country.
This year AIP has been allocated K109 billion. Of the K109 billion allocated, K102 billion is for fertilizer, K6.562 billion for seeds, K0.585 billion for goats and K0.67 billion is for logistics.
 president Enock Chihana has urged President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse government to avoid purchasing Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) fertilizer through middlemen.){kind=link}