IFAD calls for export oriented agriculture
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has asked the stakeholders in the agriculture sector to align their agricultural development strategies towards the export oriented Agriculture.
Country representative for East and Southern Africa Division, Bernadette Mazuruwa Mukonyora said this in an interview on her comment about the just ended national Agriculture trade fair in Blantyre.
Mukonyora said that although Malawi has made significant progress on domestic agriculture development, the country is still lagging behind to satisfy the international demands.
” I have noted various projects aimed at empowering rural masses and improve their livelihoods through sustainable
agricultural practices, however, there in need now to focus on export oriented agriculture that can go further to bring about foreign exchange and develop the country economically,” she said.
Mukonyora said the country need to develop projects that are aimed at empowering farmers to access not only local markets but the regional and international markets.
She said there is a need for projects that support farmers with grant capital to make farming as business and attract the export markets.
” We are all aware that to qualify for the international market it’s not easy. It is very demanding. Therefore, it is now very important for Malawi to preparing a proper foundation that will result into graduating domestic agriculture into export oriented,” she said
Among others, Mukonyora said she was pleased with the Transforming Agriculture Diversification and Entrepreneurship(TRADE) program which she said has helped to transform the lives of the farmers through value chain commercialization, saying the strategy would result into an export oriented agriculture.
” The program has so far managed to give out six capital grants to farmers. This is a good foundation to the export oriented agriculture,” she said
In her remarks, the Agribusiness and value chains specialist for TRADE program, Linda Magombo said she was pleased with the interest of local farmers towards the program.
She said the program geared at supporting Malawi’s agricultural sector to fulfill the 2063 agenda vision through agribusiness and improving the livelihoods of rural farmers.
” We are expecting an increase in numbers of beneficiaries in all the targetted districts of implementation so that the program caters for more households and increase livelihoods,” she said
She said the six year contract is being funded by IFAD and other development partners that include FAMSE, OPEC fund, TRADE through the ministries of agriculture and finance.
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