The Ministry of Agriculture has commenced the distribution of coupons for the 2026/2027 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), an initiative that has replaced the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to support food-insecure households. According to Nation Online and the Malawi News Agency, Blantyre District Council received 25,067 coupons this week, while Balaka District Council took delivery of 27,250 coupons. Deputy FISP Coordinator Macley Mtekateka issued a strict warning to local officials and extension workers, stating that the law will take its course against anyone involved in corrupt practices or the mismanagement of the coupons. Under the initiative, each beneficiary farming household is entitled to one 50-kilogramme bag of NPK basal fertiliser, one 50-kilogramme bag of Urea top-dressing fertiliser, and a five-kilogramme pack of certified maize seed.
Meanwhile, a boardroom struggle has emerged at the top of the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc). Nyasa Times reports that insider sources allege Deputy Chief Executive Officer Aubrey Sumbuleta is orchestrating a media smear campaign to oust CEO Ben Botolo. The dispute reportedly centres on leaked administrative files concerning Botolo's temporary stay at a lodge while his official residence undergoes safety renovations. Anonymous senior managers claim the documents were selectively leaked by Sumbuleta's camp to portray the CEO's accommodation as an extravagance and turn public opinion against him.
Update: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has officially halted Admarc's controversial K2.97 billion procurement of 100 tarpaulins. According to Nyasa Times and Nation Online, Acting ACB Director General Gabriel Chembezi issued a restriction notice on October 9, directing the state grain trader not to award the contract to Maiden Investment without written consent. The Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) has also intervened. PPDA Acting Director General Timothy Kalemba stated that the authority has sent Admarc a formal demand letter seeking a full explanation of the technical specifications that justified the nearly K30 million price tag for each tarpaulin.