The Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) says deployment of staff under the Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP) is expected to be completed by next week.

According to the institution’s spokesperson, Grace Thipa, priority has been given to hard-to-reach areas and districts that received early rains.

This follows concerns from beneficiaries in some districts, including Nkhotakota, where the process is yet to commence due to delays in staff deployment.

“Traditionally, we start deploying our staff to the most hard-to-reach areas, and as we speak, work has already begun in those places,” said Thipa.

However, Senior Chief Mwadzama of Nkhotakota warns that further delays in rolling out the program may compromise its effectiveness.

“When the rains intensify here, most roads become impassable, so if the opening of the markets delays, it will have negative implications,” said Mwadzama.

Meanwhile, the Nkhotakota District Director of Agriculture Services, Denis Emmanuel Zingeni, says two out of the 14 selling points in the district have already been opened.

The Minister of Agriculture, Loza Mbirizi, launched this year’s FISP on 12 November, targeting 1.1 million farmers.