Malawians are crying foul over the rising cost of farm inputs under the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) government, saying life has become unbearable for the ordinary farmer.
A Shire Times snap survey conducted in Thyolo, Mulanje, and Phalombe has found that most farms remain untilled this season. Farmers say they have been forced to abandon cultivation because fertilizer and seed prices have become too high.
“During the MCP government, fertilizer cost around K90,000 per bag,” said one farmer in Thyolo. “Now under the DPP, the price has jumped to nearly K200,000. Who can afford that?”
In parts of Mzimba North — including Mbalachanda, Mzupusu, Malembe, Chigumukire, and Mwembere — farmers say they now need about K400,000 to buy two bags of fertilizer and another K85,000 for seed. That is before paying for labour or transport.
“We were promised relief, but instead, things are worse than ever,” complained a farmer in Malembe. “The new government has failed to control prices. We are watching our fields die.”
Many farmers accuse the DPP government of focusing on politics rather than solving economic problems. They say the cost of living has gone up, fuel prices remain unstable, and electricity remains unreliable — leaving families struggling to survive.
The growing anger has now spilled into the streets. In Mzuzu, a group calling itself Concerned Citizens is planning mass demonstrations on 12 November 2025, demanding urgent government action on the economy.
However, some frustrated citizens are going further, saying politicians have failed completely and suggesting that perhaps the military should take over, as has happened in other African countries.
“We removed the previous government because things were bad, but now it’s worse,” said one of the protest organizers. “If politicians can’t fix Malawi, maybe the soldiers can.”
Whether these calls for a military solution are mere frustration or a sign of deeper national despair, one thing is clear: under the DPP, farming has become a luxury, and the patience of ordinary Malawians is running out.
