Malawi has launched a 10-year Malawi Action Plan on Fertiliser and Soil Health (2024–2034), a $163 million initiative aimed at improving soil productivity, fertiliser efficiency, and addressing widespread land degradation. Unveiled in Lilongwe by Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale, the plan takes a comprehensive approach by focusing on soil, water, and labour. It emphasises the need to balance the use of both organic and inorganic fertilisers, along with improved pH management, irrigation for water retention, and the use of mechanisation to boost efficiency.
Minister Kawale criticised the country’s past over-reliance on inorganic fertilisers, calling it a “myopic” approach that failed to address deeper issues of soil health and sustainable crop production. Supporting this view, Mwapata Institute’s William Chadza noted that much of Malawi’s soil is degraded due to erosion and minimal use of organic inputs. The plan promotes a complementary fertiliser strategy that combines organic and inorganic materials to improve nutrient uptake, reduce environmental harm, and enhance yields over time.
The launch comes amid growing concern over the economic sustainability of Malawi’s Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), which has consumed over K400 billion in just three years. Although the 2025/26 budget has reduced AIP allocation to K131.6 billion, it remains a significant fiscal burden. Recent research by IFPRI further questions the programme’s effectiveness, showing that Malawian farmers yield only 4–7 kg of maize per kg of nitrogen, compared to over 15 kg in Ghana and Nigeria—countries with fewer subsidies. These findings suggest that Malawi’s future food security and economic stability may depend on shifting away from input subsidies toward long-term investments in soil health and sustainable fertiliser use.
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