By George Bulombola & Rhoda Nyangulu, MANA

Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has joined ferrying of Affordable Input Programme (AIP) supplies to hard to reach areas to ensure that farm inputs area available and accessible in all parts of the country.

Some of the MDF vehicles Friday ferried the farm inputs from Luwinga in Mzuzu to Nthalire and Wenya in Chitipa District.

According to Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Chitipa District Council, Hastings Nyirongo, the two areas were not yet serviced due to poor road network.

“We have six extension planning areas and in terms of redemption of NPK fertilizer we are at 50 percent. We hope that with the assistance from MDF, we will register remarkable progress in as far as the program is concerned within the required period,” he said.

Minister of National Unity, Timothy Mtambo, visited some AIP selling points in Chitipa and Karonga to appreciate progress of AIP administration in the two districts.

He took advantage to welcome the MDF drivers at Kapoka Trading Centre before they proceeded to Nthalire and Wenya.

Mtambo commended MDF for Its dedication in participating in the transportation of the inputs.

Speaking at Kasoba AIP selling point in Karonga, Mtambo said there was need for more AIP selling points to fast track the exercise and to avoid congestion at the markets.

According to Nation Online, Only 30 percent of fertilizers under the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) have been distributed to small-scale farmers as of December 2022.

The situation means only 750 000 small-scale farmers have benefited out of the 2.5 million targeted beneficiaries.

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