NFRA on right track ensuring adequate maize stocks, food security in Malawi
National Food Reserve Agency, (NFRA) says it is on the right track in ensuring that the country has adequate maize stocks and food security.
Speaking during a tour by the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Cooperation and State Enterprises to one of the mobile markets in Chamama, Kasungu, NFRA C.E.O George Macheka says mobile markets has provided a relief to smallholder farmers as they are selling to the agency preventing illegal exports.
“Since the exception of this mobile market there has been a massive turnout of farmers coming to sell their maize up to the extent that we have been able to buy 3,500 metric tonnes of maize surpassing the target of this mobile market alone, we have three mobile markets in Kazomba, Mzimba one in Chitipa and one in Lilongwe but the vibrant markets so far is this one in Chamama and the one in Chitipa. What it means is that there is a lot of maize out there and we couldn’t get it if we could have been waiting for them to come to our deport in Kanengo or Mzunzu,” Macheka highlighted.
He also assured farmers in Chamama that the agency will continue buying maize, despite rumors of closing the markets soon because of financial constraints; until farmers get satisfied with the market period as the agency mandate is to make sure that all Malawians are served with sufficient food through our the year.
Chairperson for Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Cooperations and State Enterprises, Bintony Kutsatila expressed satisfaction with the approach saying it will minimize illegal exports and increase the welfare of smallholder farmers in the country.
“The National Food Reserve Agency is doing everything possible to make sure it has enough food that can feed the nation, it is using two approaches one using contracts where farmers bring maize in Kanengo and the other one using mobile markets, and this is commendable as farmers are getting better prices from the agency,” Kutsatila said.
He saluted the current management at NFRA for the initiative as it will give chance for the country to have sufficient food across all areas.
Alick Dembule one of the smallholder farmers at Chamama in Kasungu commended NFRA for the better prices offered that will give an ample chance for smallholder farmers to sell their maize at a better price and at a nearest market and be able to have money to buy fertilizers for the next season.
“This is a win win situation whereby we as farmers we are having funds in our pockets whilst other citizens where maize is being scares people will have enough food,” Dembule said.
NFRA is purchasing maize from these farmers at MK750 per kilogram and says so far it has purchased 10,000 metric tonnes of maize since the exception of this initiative across all mobile markets in the country with Chamama in Kasungu alone surpassing its target 3,000 metric tonnes as they are at 3,500 metric tonnes.
As the agency strives to meet the national target of 120,000 metric tonnes of maize by December this year, NFRA is confident of meeting the target as it has over 50,000 metric tonnes in stock.
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