Political Square Calls on Subsistence Farmers to Focus on Farming Activities, Urges Government to Scrap AIP Program

Malawi: The Political Square, a group of concerned Malawian citizens said to be operating in various sectors of the economy, has released a statement calling on subsistence farmers to focus on farming activities rather than non-truths about the success of the Agricultural Input Subsidy Program (AIP) 2022.

The group, said to be an independent, apolitical think tank founded in 2020, stated that the government did not roll out the implementation of AIP 2022 as planned due to issues with beneficiary identification and vetting, corrupt procurement of fertilizers, and disorganized distribution and access difficulties.

"It is clear that the government is not telling you farmers the whole truth about AIP 2022 implementation woes, nor can they promise you anything that they can truly and honestly implement other than nice speeches, bluffing statements, and spinning the reality and avoiding truth," the statement said.

The Political Square advised farmers to focus on alternative inputs, such as manure, and to engage with their Member of Parliament to request that the AIP program be scrapped because it does not benefit farmers, but rather politicians and civil servants.

The group’s Citizens Activities Coordinator, Charles Michael Govati, and Secretary for the Citizen Appeal, Edwin Chindongo Phiri, signed the statement.