Flanders give Malawi K3.3bn grant towards improving  agriculture productivity

Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister, Joseph Mwanamvekha, has commended the Flemish government after signing  a financing agreement worth  4.5 million euros (K3.3 billion) to  improve agricultural productivity.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at Capitsl Hill in Lilongwe, Mwanamvekha the resources will finance a five year project from June 2019 to May 2023 whose main interventions aim to promote land tenure  security through systematic rural land registration, among others.

“This Financing Agreement is aimed at promoting secure land tenure through systematic rural land registration, improve rural land use planning, promote appropriate land and water management practice,”Mwanamvekha said.

He, therefore, urged the implementing agencies to ensure that all the resources for the project are utilised prudently.

Mwanamvekha said the project is aligned to the Malawi Groth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III first priority area which is Agrculture, Water Development and Climate change management.

He said: “The project will, therefore, contribute towards the achievement of agricultural growth targets, which are essential if Malawi is to maintain it strong GDP growth.”

On his part,  Flanders deputy general representative in Malawi, Nikolas Bosscher, said  Flanders has been supporting the agriculture sector over 10 years, adding that the country’s strategy paper aims to contribute to the tra nsformation of the agriculture sector from subsistence  farming to market oriented production.

Food and Agriculture Organisation country representative, Zhujun Chen, expressed gratitude for the funding saying national food security can be achieved if people have land and water resources.

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