The Malawi Government has been given 5200 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer valued at K7 billion by Japan. This fertilizer is anticipated to support more than 104,000 families participating in this year’s Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).
Yoichi Oya, the Japanese Ambassador to Malawi, expressed their goal of improving livelihoods by ensuring food security and addressing the present economic difficulties.
“Stable access to food forms the basis for people to live with dignity. With human dignity as one of the pillars of diplomacy, Japan will spare no effort to defend human dignity through international cooperation,” said Youchi.
On his part, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale, said the donation has come at the right time as the country is trying to recover from Cyclone Freddy’s effects in the agriculture sector.
He has stressed that the support was directed to the AIP and people are expected to follow the procedures stipulated in the programme to access the fertiliser.
“When asking for the fertilizer from the Japanese Government, we asked that it should be channelled to the AIP and that the chosen beneficiaries follow procedures under AIP to access it. The beneficiaries will receive the fertilizer and their responsibility is to pay their K15,000 contribution as stipulated in the AIP and make good use of the fertilizer,” said Kawale.
Kawale has since touted strong bilateral ties between Japan and Malawi and expressed the ministry’s commitment to ensure the fertiliser reaches the intended beneficiaries.
Currently, 3000 metric tonnes are in the country ready for dispatch and the remaining lot will be in the country by next week.
