In order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP), AICC has entered a partnership with Mobile Transactions International (MTI), a leading provider of electronic voucher solutions, to explore the usage of electronic vouchers in the FISP.

Government of Malawi through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has implemented the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) since the 2005/06 growing season with financial assistance from international donors. As a result of this programme, the country has witnessed increased and surplus maize production, although this growth has come at a high cost: expenditure on the FISP in 2010/11 was approximately US$120m. The FISP involves distribution of selected subsidized agriculture inputs (fertilizer and seed) to poor smallholder farmers. In 2012/13, approximately 1.5 million farmers benefitted from the programme which is about 45-50% of the total number of smallholder farmers in Malawi.

The goals of the pilot project were:

• To assess the impact of the e-voucher system relative to the paper coupon system;
• To demonstrate the feasibility of using the e-voucher system in the FISP in Malawi;
• To learn lessons for and to assess the feasibility of scaling up the e-voucher system for a nationwide rollout.

SABI is an agri-business stakeholder platform aimed at fostering engagement in the development of the agricultural sector and facilitating the development of public private partnerships contextually within the agricultural value chain. SABI facilitates and coordinates business-oriented solutions and partnership approaches in the agriculture sector to promote growth and public private cooperation.

Specifically the initiative aims at promoting:

• Agribusiness Partnerships to provide a platform that enables private sector players to go beyond promoting their own products by bringing in different interventions to the farm for the benefit of a wider spectrum.
• Skills Development providing a basis for training and developing business skills for students, local farmers, and agriculture extension services providers.
• Act as catalyst to enhance out-grower capacity and serve as an initial interface between smallholders, agriculture industry service providers and buyers

Key outputs of the program include the following:

• Establish agricultural demonstration and training farms as centers of excellence for stakeholders to demonstrate the sustainable and profitable crops and cropping systems.
• Increase access and adoption of conservation agriculture and climate smart agriculture
• Develop skills of students, farmers and agricultural extension service providers