According to Mangochi Police publicist, Roderick Maida, coupons of the Farm Input Subsidy Program (Fisp) are being  sold to traders, who redeem money from the government. Following reports of such, Mangochi Police has arrested 39-year-old man for allegedly trying to buy inputs using 207 coupons which were supposed to be used in Machinga District.

According to Mangochi Police’s publicist, the suspect went to an Agora shop in Masuku where he was found with five coupons of Urea fertiliser, two coupons of NPK fertiliser, 100 coupons of legume seeds and 100 coupons of cereal seeds, all bearing Machinga District serial numbers.

Fisp targets poor small holder farmers, providing them with affordable fertiliser, but in January, the World Bank noted that the farmers that purchase the fertiliser via the program are lesser than the targeted amount. The World Bank also attributed Malawi’s stunted agricultural growth to Fisp. The then Minister of Finance, Economic Planning Development Goodall Gondwe commented that the World Bank has always misunderstood Fisp. He said that the World Bank  asked his ministry to remove subsidies on feritiliser in order to increase the maize price on the Market

During the opening of the August House in parliament this year, President Peter Mutharika stressed that the Fisp program will not cease.