An agriculture expert, Ronald Chilumpha, is predicting that the number of beneficiaries of the Affordable Input Programme will drastically decline this year due to changes in prices of commodities on the market.

Chilumpha says increase in prices of farm inputs will pile pressure on the budget which the government had set for the 2025/25 AIP season.

He warns that further delays to roll out the Affordable Input Programme will automatically result in further decline in the number of beneficiaries of the programme.

“I would expect that in a year like this where rainfall conditions have been poor and high levels of inflation, would mean our poor farmers will grapple to get resources in the upcoming farming season. I expect programmes such as the AIP to widen the gap and increase the number of beneficiaries,” said Chilumpha.

Another expert, Dr. Horace Phiri is suggesting a consideration to increase the number of beneficiaries of the Affordable Input Programme to cushion many local farmers from persistent price hikes of the farm inputs on the local market.

Dr. Phiri acknowledges that there is shrinking donor funding and current economic status that is also hampering local farmers that were withdrawn from the AIP beneficiaries list.

“The input prices are escalating and we should expect a further escalation hence the urgency of the AIP among farmers in the country. It would be much better to procure the fertilizer as early as possible,” noted Dr. Phiri.

Minister of agriculture, Sam Kawale recently disclosed that distribution of AIP input will commence between July and August.

In a written response, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale says Malawi needs to transition from subsidies towards commercial and market-oriented farming to achieve sustainable agricultural growth and lift our farmers out of poverty in the long run

“Their concerns about cushioning local farmers from high input costs are valid and reflect the immediate realities many Malawian farmers face.

This isn't about abandoning our farmers, but empowering them to become more resilient and prosperous,” write Kawale.

Early this year, during the presentation of the national budget , Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola Banda announced an allocation of K131.6 billion to the AIP, a decline from K161 billion last year.