Malawi has been urged by European Union (EU) to carefully use over 250 motorcycles the union, alongside Unicef and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), donated to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development . The motorcycles are meant for extension workers in the Afikepo and Kulima projects which seek to improve agriculture productivity and […]
Chairperson for the National Planning Commission Professor Richard Mkandawire says the commission is encouraged by strides government and other organizations are taking in making sure that Malawi diversifyits agriculture sector. Mkandawire made the remarks on the sidelines of the first ever two day agriculturaltransformation summit organized by the Agriculture Transformative Initiative(ATI) which was held in […]
Malawian smallholder tobacco farmers need to diversify away from relying more on tobacco by preparing themselves for the distant future since the country’s ‘green gold’ spells doom on the economic gains of the crop. This was said at the Stakeholders to the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI) and Foundation for a Smoke Free World summit in […]
I quickly joined many Malawians to congratulate our President in launching the Malawi Agricultural and Industrial Investment Corporation (plc. I eagerly tuned in to listen to this highly publicized event. What came out clearly is that this has been rushed to out maneuver Dr. Saulos Chilima’s commitments to Malawians who firstly articulated that he would […]
President Peter Mutharika on Wednesday asked agricultural and industrial cooperatives to organize themselves if they are to benefit from investment corporations. Speaking in Lilongwe during the launch of Malawi Agricultural and Industrial Investment Corporation (MAIIC), Mutharika emphasized on the need for agricultural investors to mobilize themselves and make use of financial innovations government is putting in place […]
In its quest to turn Malawian horticulture farmers into millionaires, Agricos, a consultancy firm which aims at uplifting farmers in the country has been training farmers on how best they can maximise their profits in horticultural products. In their recent one day training which brought together 65 farmers at Malawi Sun Hotel in Blantyre, aimed […]
The government, under the Malawi Nacala Rail and Port Value Addiction Project funded by the African Development Bank, is conducting interactive capacity building workshops for Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) involved in Agro-business in order to contribute towards increased exports. The workshops, the first held in Blantyre on Wednesday and the second in Lilongwe on […]
Seed Traders Association of Malawi (STAM) has advised farmers to buy seeds through authorized agro-dealers only to avoid being duped by unscrupulous traders who sell fake seeds that lead to miserable crop yields. STAM has since assured farmers that there are enough high quality certified maize seeds of about 18 324 metric tonnes and 6 052 metric tonnes […]
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Joseph Mwanamvekha has underscored the need for good agricultural practices which include irrigated agriculture if farmers are to harvest bumper yield this year. He was speaking at Mlomba CCAP, Traditional Authority Chiseka, in Mitundu, Lilongwe where he had been delegated by President Peter Mutharika to attend a special […]
Minister of Agriculture Irrigation and Water Development, Joseph Mwanamveka on Friday visited Malawi-China Agricultural Technical Cooperation Farm in Lilongwe where he moaned the current situation where the country is relying on importing horticultural food including bananas. Mwanamveka challenged the country’s farmers to increase horticultural farming in order to reverse the situation. “As Government, we also […]
President Peter Mutharika has said politics in Malawi is derailing development, comparing the nation to China, which he said has developed tremendously owing it to unity and stakeholders in development. He was speaking at the opening of the 15th National Agriculture Fair in Blantyre held under the theme ‘Access to Finance, Value Addition and Markets: […]
The Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET), has called for serious policy change which can be tilted in favour of women because they receive inadequate support in agriculture sector. The call by Cisanet comes amid background that 70 percent of farmers are women and the NGO has currently stepped up efforts aimed at addressing the challenges. “There are […]
For 56-year-old Agnes Soko, agriculture has not only offered a path out of poverty and hunger, but an improved livelihood for her family and many other Malawian smallholder farmers who constitute 80 percent of the population. Soko, a member of Tikolerane Comsip Cluster in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chikulamayembe in Rumphi, participated in the Legume Enterprise […]
State Vice President Saulos Chilima’s United Transformation Movement UTM continues to draw large crowds to its rallies with Kasungu being the latest where Chilima promised agricultural renaissance in the once food basket district. Just before Kasungu rally, the UTM leader had three stops at Lumbadzi, Mponela and Madisi where locals also came in large numbers. […]
This year’s growing season has left Irish potato farmers in Dedza reeling under heavy losses after they harvested poor quality potatoes which are said to be fetching low prices on the market. The farmers are complaining that their Irish potato crop was devastated by late blight disease which drastically reduced the quality and quantity of […]
One of the leading seed companies in the country, Peacock Seeds has assured farmers in Mzimba District that they are considering to open agro-input centers so that farmers can access seeds without sweating and at affordable prices. Apart from supplying seed to reliable agro-dealers and shops including PTC, Kulima gold, Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund […]
A new report showcasing evidence to guide African governments in successfully mechanising Africa’s agribusiness value chains was launched on Tuesday by the Malabo Montpellier Panel, a group of 17 African and international experts. The Malabo Montpellier Panel compiles policies and investments necessary to successfully mechanise African agricultural value chains. Currently, around 85 percent of farm activity in […]
President Peter Mutharika has directed that Vice-President Saulos Chilima be replaced by Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Joseph Mwanamvekha at international think tank the Malabo Montpellier Panel to co-chair a High Level Policy Dialogue Forum on African Agriculture and Food Security. Malabo Montpellier Panel appointed Chilima last year and he co-chaired the inaugural meeting […]