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16 November
Every year FAM summarises the subsidy program from the point of view of the private sector. Aside from detailing the design and implementation of t
The Fertilizer Association of Malawi was formed in 2007 in response to the Government of Malawi’s need for Public-Private Partnership in its Farm Inputs Subsidy Programme(FISP)
The Association currently has 20 member companies that represent all activities related to the production, trade, distribution of all types of fertilizer, their raw materials and intermediates. Our member companies are responsible for more than 90% of the annual fertilizer consumption in Malawi.
To enhance the competitiveness of Malawian Agriculture, Fertilizer Association of Malawi liaises with Government on a wide range of policy issues relating to the fertilizer sector
On behalf of the industry, farmers & the public, FAM helps ensure that fertilizer is stored, transported and applied with rigorous attention to safety and security
FAM works with all industry stakeholders to advance the development and implementation of the best sciencebased environmental stewardship practices
To foster a conducive and enabling environment for the use and trading of quality fertilizer products, to sustain a food secure Malawi for the benefit of our members and the consumer.
Adequate and affordable access to fertilizers allows subsistence farmers to produce a surplus that they can sell, using the income to not only buy additional food for their families, but also send their children to school and pay for health care.
Half the food we eat today is produced thanks to mineral fertilizers. Fertilizers provide crops with the nutrients essential for their growth and health, which helps increase crop yields and food production.
Fertilizers can increase gender equality in agriculture. They have an important role to play in terms of bringing female farmers to the same level as their male counterparts.
Nutrient losses to water can be significantly reduced with Fertilizer Best Management Practices.
Technological advances in agricultural production, nutrient and water management have enabled significant gains in fertilizer application efficiency and reduction of nutrient losses to the environment.
Fertilizers can help farmers adapt against climate change: Healthy soils and plants can better withstand climate stress than those with nutrient deficiencies.
Fertilizer Best Management Practices can help preserve the health of seas and oceans: The 4Rs can substantially improve the uptake of nutrient by plants, and thus reduce losses to water streams, and by extension, seas and oceans.
Fertilizers help prevent soil degradation and desertification: Integrated Plant Nutrient Management (IPNM), plays a central role in maintaining soil health by using on-farm organic sources of nutrients and supplementing them with manufactured fertilizers to achieve the farmer's yield goal.
1 . Fertilizers do not deplete the soil
Fertilizers are key to rejuvenating the soil by providing nutrients the plants need to grow healthily.
2 . Fertilizers are made of natural elements
All the nutrients contained in different fertilizers are found in nature. The most common sources of nutrients in mineral fertilizers are nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphate (P).
3 . Fertilizers are not the same as pesticides
Pesticides are synthetic or natural chemicals used to control pests. Fertilizers, on the other hand, supply natural nutrients to make crops grow. The role of fertilizers is to increase yield and ensure healthy produce by supplying the right balance of nutrients to the soil.
4 . Fertilizers do not alter the plants we eat
Fertilizers do not alter the DNA of crops. Instead they improve the growth and quality of the crop by adding important nutrients. The amount of nutrients added is chosen by the farmer after analysing the soil and determining the requirements of individual crops. Fertilizing in the correct way can have a great impact on crops´ yield, appearance and nutritional value.
5 . Fertilizers do not make you ill
Eating crops from a fertilized field, or meat from animals that have grazed on a fertilized pasture, does not pose any health risks for animals or humans. On the contrary, the nutrients in the fertilizer required for crop growth, are the same nutrients required for human growth and development. It is a fact that approximately half of the world’s population today has food on the table due to fertilizers.
