Agricultural input subsidies : changing theory and practice -- Recent African experience with input subsidies -- Malawi : political, policy, livelihoods and market background -- FISP activities and achievements -- Direct impacts of input subsidies -- Economy-wide effects of input subsidies --...

Agricultural input subsidies were a major feature of development policies in rural economies until the 1980s. Continuing rural poverty with low productivity and fertilizer use in smallholder staple crops has led to their resurgence in Africa. These subsidies are, however, controversial with...

Malawi’s implementation of a large-scale agricultural input subsidy programme has attracted significant international interest. This paper reviews the programme from 2005/06 to 2008/09. Nationwide disbursement of heavily subsidized fertilizers and seed to large numbers of beneficiaries...