By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, April 22, Mana: Government has said stakeholders in the implementation of Affordable Input Programme (AIP) need to join hands to iron out some of the a normalizes that have been registered in the last growing season.
Director for Agriculture Research Services, Dr Jerome Nkoma said this Thursday during AIP Interface Session for Tilitonse Foundation and grant partners held at Sunbird Lilongwe Hotel in Lilongwe.
He said the implementation of the AIP had a number of issues which need to be addressed collectively by various stakeholders if the programme could benefit the intended beneficiaries.
“The findings that have been presented by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) so far speak to the issues that the Ministry was able to pick. New findings which were not aware of as Ministry,” Nkhoma observed.
The Director added that the findings are important to government to AIP help us to programme better this time around.
He pointed put that the Ministry would share the findings with other stakeholders in the implementation of the programme.
Nkhoma noted that some beneficiaries were selling their right by selling their national identification cards which need to be condemned.
He hailed Tilitonse Foundation with support from European Union (EU) and Royal Norwegian Embassy for the remarkable work that has gone into strengthening capacity oof both CSOs and especially Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to collaboratively with government to ensure successful implementation of AIP.
Board Chairperson for Tilitonse Foundation, Desmond Kaunda said the finding has noted lack of collaboration between government and its partners in the implementation process.
He said supplies of AIP were erratic in a number of areas where one type of fertilizer was available while the other was not and even in other areas it was in short supply.
Executive Director for Centre for social Accountability and Transparency (CSAT), Willy Kambwandira suggested that government should using barometric system so that beneficiaries should no longer use their national identification cards to redeem their inputs.
He said the use of barometric system would help to curb corrupt practices that have been experienced in the last growing season.