I am working on a research paper over Malawi's FISP (Fertilizer Input Subsidy Program) and how it impacts the resiliency of families in terms of environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Any information, comments and or furthering questions in regards to this topic would be greatly appreciated.
If the problem is perceived as lack of soil fertility then subsidising fertilizer is an apparent quick fix because it will lead to good yield and provide a security of quality in the short run. This solution is much timelier than the longer term solution of doing integrated resource management wherein the whole agricultural system is taken into consideration, thus enabling systemic interventions.
The side effect of this approach is that farmers will use these inputs, see good yields, and develop a perception of produce quality, thus reducing the support for doing integrated resource management whose long term effects are high residues in crops, short storage shelf-life or fast deterioration of produce and export rejection. I recommend you read this paper: Using System Archetypes to Identify Drivers and Barriers for Sustainable Agriculture in Africa: A Case Study in Ghana
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