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| Tip future is secured — Mussa |
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by
Gedion Munthali, 12 November 2003
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16:39:41
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Deputy Agriculture Minister Henry Mussa has arrested uncertainties over the prospects of the targeted input programme (Tip), saying its future is already in the bag.
Mussa said in an interview on Tuesday that while Tip is being used to mitigate the problems of the most disadvantaged, other safety nets are already handy to shield other needy people.
“The future of Tip is guaranteed. We will continue to assist the most rundown. Those whose situation is not most critical can fall back on other safety nets like those coming under agricultural productivity investment programme (Apip), public works programme or under the emergency food programmes,” said Mussa.
Mussa said 1.7 million packs, sponsored by the Department of International Department (Dfid), were distributed during summer, while 400,000 packs were distributed for winter cropping.
“The 1.7 million is for free distribution to the most needy. But the other safety nets are Apip sponsored by European Union (EU) with about 1.8 million beneficiaries, public works programme where about 200,000 are bound to benefit and 150,000 under the Fao emergency programme. All these measures aimed at addressing the problem,” said Mussa.
The packs contain five kilogrammes of Urea, five kilogrammes of 22:21:0, two kilogrammes of maize and a kilogramme of legumes.
He said that his ministry was also distributing treadle pumps to farmers, 30,000 provided by Japanese International Cooperation Agency (Jica), 1,500 pumps by EU under the public works programme, 2900 under Highly Indebted Poor Countries (Hipc) and 50 under other recurrent transactions (Ort).
“These treadle pumps are being provided at K9, 000 to be recovered within a period of three years. This money is supposed to become a revolving fund,” said Mussa.
He urged Malawians to develop a hardworking spirit to become self-reliant.
“What we are saying is that when farmers yield a surplus it should be kept at the village banks which were are developing,” said Mussa.
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