As the rainy season approaches, Malawi is facing a looming fertiliser crisis that threatens to disrupt the upcoming agricultural cycle. Smallholder farmers are struggling with high prices, severe supply shortages, and growing uncertainty. According to the Fertiliser Association of Malawi (FAM), current national stocks stand at approximately 148,000 metric tonnes, which falls short of the estimated annual requirement of 450,000 to 475,000 metric tonnes.
The shortage has significant implications for smallholder farmers, who are finding it difficult to access the essential farm input. In Mvunguti Village, Traditional Authority Chitukula in Lilongwe District, Jenipher Langton is preparing her garden with growing concern. She found fertiliser to be unaffordable, with prices out of reach for small-scale farmers like herself. Langton had hoped to begin the season with access to fertiliser, but the reality on the ground has left many farmers frustrated and uncertain.
The price of fertiliser has increased significantly, with a bag of urea rising from K150,000 in February to K210,000. Similarly, NPK fertiliser has jumped from around K160,000 to K220,000, with prices approaching K250,000 per bag in some areas. While the government's Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) has been launched, with 1.2 million beneficiaries, delays in distribution are causing widespread anxiety among farmers.
Dickson Matemba of Nkhaka Village, T/A Masumbankhunda, is still waiting for instructions on how to access his subsidized allocation. He fears that delays could affect his farming season, as he cannot afford the current market prices. The Fisp programme aims to support farmers, but the delay in distribution has raised concerns about its effectiveness.
According to FAM executive administrator Hannah Makhambera, of the 148,000 metric tonnes accounted for, only 35,068 metric tonnes are currently in the country. A further 66,940 metric tonnes are stranded or moving through regional ports, while 46,000 metric tonnes are still at sea. Makhambera noted that procurement and importation efforts are ongoing, but hurdles remain, including access to foreign exchange and logistics.
The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has encouraged commercial banks to prioritize strategic imports within prevailing forex limits. RBM spokesperson Boston Maliketi Banda stated that the central bank does not directly allocate foreign exchange to individual importers, but rather encourages them to work with commercial banks to access foreign exchange. Agriculture expert Leonard Chimwaza warned that fertiliser shortages would affect not only the subsidy programme but also farming in general.
The fertiliser shortage has significant implications for Malawi's food security, with 2.6 million Malawians expected to face hunger during the 2026/27 consumption period. The Ministry of Agriculture has estimated maize production at 3,300,618 metric tonnes in the 2025/26 agricultural season, representing an increase of about 15% from the previous season. However, the fertiliser shortage could undermine these gains, highlighting the need for a swift solution to the crisis.
Key points
- Malawi faces a 300,000 metric tonne fertiliser gap ahead of the rainy season.
- The shortage has significant implications for smallholder farmers and the country's food security.
- The government has launched the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) to support farmers, but delays in distribution have raised concerns.
