Lilongwe, Malawi

November 12, 2025

Steven Maseya

Government Clarifies Fertilizer Subsidy Distribution: Each Household to Receive Full Package, Not Shared

The Ministry of Agriculture has clarified that under the K10,000 Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), each targeted farming household will receive a full fertilizer and seed package, dismissing reports that beneficiaries are being asked to share one bag among several people.

In an interview with The Khulubvi Post, the Chief Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Arnold Namanja, said the program targets 1.1 million farming households across all districts of Malawi.

Namanja emphasized that every targeted household will receive one 50kg bag of NPK fertilizer, one 50kg bag of Urea, and a 5kg cereal seed pack. “This package is going to one household and should not be shared,” he said. “The reports that farmers are being told to share fertilizer among five people are incorrect.”

According to Namanja, the Ministry has already secured 33,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fertilizer out of the required 110,000MT for this planting season. Distribution will start in areas that receive rainfall earliest, to ensure timely planting.

A total of 1.1 million farming households will benefit from the AIP program. Additionally, 1,800 farming households will receive goats as part of a livestock empowerment initiative aimed at diversifying rural incomes.

The Ministry expects that farmers will produce an average of 33,000MT of maize, enough to sustain household food needs and potentially generate a marketable surplus. “This will enable families to have food throughout the year and sell any excess production,” Namanja explained.

To curb corruption and misuse, the Ministry has empowered communities in every stage of implementation—from beneficiary selection to market management and redemption.

Namanja added that the Ministry is collaborating with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Police, National Intelligence Service (NIS), and civil society organizations to ensure transparency and accountability.

When asked about Malawi’s hunger situation, Namanja referred questions to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) but cited Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) findings showing that over 4 million people are at risk of hunger between now and March 2026.

He also noted that information on foreign or donor assistance to address hunger and food insecurity will be provided by DoDMA in due course. Namanja said estimates for the upcoming harvest season are still being compiled, with details to be released once assessments are complete.

The Ministry of Agriculture has reaffirmed that each farming household will receive a complete fertilizer and seed package, not shared, under the K10,000 subsidy program. The government says reforms in transparency and coordination with oversight agencies aim to ensure that the 2025/26 planting season is efficient, corruption-free, and food-secure.

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