2. “Inadequate soil fertility now
poses the single most
important constraint on maize
production in Africa”
(CIMMYT)
3. Population 13.2 million
Required 2.6 million tons of maize
Estimated Production with no FISP 1.8 million tons
Deficit 800,000 tons
Amount of Fertilizer needed to meet
Malawi’s Basic Maize requirements in
2006/07
4. • To produce 800, 000 tons of maize with FISP
combination of fertilizers
Using 15kg grain/1kg N = 151, 000 tons
Using 12kg grain/ 1kg N = 188, 000 tons
Actual was = 179, 000 tons
• Result: lowest immediate post harvest maize
price in real terms for 16 years
5. • How Much Fertilizer needed for 2014/15
• Population has grown by 3.7 million since start
of FISP
Requires 3.2 million tons of maize
Production without FISP = 2.2 million tons
Shortfall = 1 million tons
6. • How much fertilizer is needed?
Using 15kg grain/1 kg N = 192, 000 tons
Using 12 kg grain/1 kg N = 237, 000 tons
• Clear demonstration as to why 2012/13’s
140, 000 tons resulted in particularly high maize
prices
7. • Fertilizer also required to replace lost soil
nutrients
• World Bank estimates the loss at 80kg
nutrients per hectare per year
• World bank also estimated 10% of those
nutrients are retrieved from all organic
sources
• This compares with a figure of 15% for India
8. • To replace the nutrient deficit would require
150 kg of FISP fertilizer combination per ha
per year which requires a total of 350, 000
tons
• If 100, 000 tons were bought for cash (an
approximate figure) then 250, 000 tons of
subsidised fertilizer would be required to
replenish the soil nutrients
