National symposium at BICC to accelerate Malawi 2063 agenda through agrifood investment

Malawi will host a National Agrifood Systems Investment Symposium on Monday, 5 October 2026, at the Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe, as part of efforts to accelerate implementation of the Malawi 2063 development agenda.

The symposium, themed “Unlocking Private Sector Investment for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation in Malawi,” will focus on the private sector’s role in transforming the country’s agrifood systems and wider economy.

It is being organised by the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade, Business and Tourism, together with the National Planning Commission and other partners, with support from the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GIZ).

Speaking at a media briefing in Lilongwe on Thursday ahead of the event, National Planning Commission Director General Fredrick Changaya said transforming the agrifood sector would require collective effort, with greater investment, innovation and partnerships needed to unlock the sector’s potential.

“We need to work together in creating policies and sustainable solutions that will transform our economy,” he said.

Principal Secretary for Trade in the Ministry of Industrialisation, Trade, Business and Tourism, Wiskes Mkombezi, said government could not transform Malawi’s agrifood systems without strong involvement from the private sector.

“We need the private sector to work hand in hand with the government because they are key partners in opening doors for industrialisation and economic growth,” he said.

GIZ Country Director Dr Inge Baumgarten highlighted the importance of partnerships in supporting sustainable agrifood systems transformation in Malawi.