A total of 153 farmers from the districts of Dowa, Mponela, and Ntchisi have received 850 bags of fertiliser under the government’s National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF).
Handing over the fertiliser to beneficiaries in Ntchisi on Monday, the Minister of Information and Digitalisation, Moses Kunkuyu, described the initiative as one of the government’s strategies for revitalising the economy through agricultural empowerment.
“There was a time when we produced in abundance, exported farm produce, and our economy thrived. However, this has not been the case in recent years,” he explained. “Research has shown that the root cause is a lack of empowerment for farmers through farm input loans. This is why President Lazarus Chakwera conceived the idea of NEEF, which includes the provision of fertiliser loans to farmers.”
Kunkuyu warned the beneficiaries against misusing the fertiliser, stressing that selling the loaned fertiliser would undermine the initiative’s objectives.
Senior Chief Malenga of Ntchisi commended the fertiliser loan initiative, stating that it had a more significant impact than direct cash transfers.
He, however, urged the government to ensure the timely delivery of fertiliser to align with the farming season and maximise outcomes.
“We [chiefs] have implemented measures to ensure all beneficiaries repay the loans, thereby creating opportunities for others who missed out this time,” he added.
One of the beneficiaries, Osman Mthandeni, expressed gratitude, highlighting how the initiative would improve his life, family, and community.
He emphasised that empowering farmers is vital for addressing food insecurity, malnutrition, and economic instability.
The 153 beneficiaries of the fertiliser loans include 36 farmers from Dowa, 54 from Mponela, and 63 from Ntchisi.
By James Mwale, MANA
