Government through the Ministry of Agriculture says it is aiming at empowering agriculture sector players in order to ensure that the country is food secure.
Minister responsible, Sam Kawale, made the remarks during his keynote address at the Malawi Agriculture Investment Forum at Bingu International Convention Center (BICC) in Lilongwe.
Kawale said there is need for the private sector to work with government in order to achieve food, nutrition and income security which is in line with the National Agriculture Policy and National Agriculture Investment plan.
“We are not leaving anyone behind. Our agenda today is to empower agriculture sector players to attract investment and explore opportunities for capital investment in various value chains developed under the Hand and Hand initiative including banana production, aquaculture, dairy and rice processing,” said Kawale.
He added that the Ministry seeks to contribute towards economic growth and achieve the Malawi 2063 vision by transforming and commercializing the Agriculture sector.
In his remarks, Assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative, George Phiri, indicated that the forum will achieve tangible outcomes that will change the lives of Malawians.
He also highlighted that planning and coordination challenges coupled with low investments are negatively impacting the agriculture sector.
“FAO is committed to addressing these issues by promoting diversified food systems that reflect at all levels from local international markets,” said Phiri.
On the other hand, CEO for Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MICT), Paul Kwengwere, encouraged investors to also consider investing in Macadamia nuts, coffee beans, sugar, groundnuts, tea, soya, meat and poultry products.
