Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda has hailed Kulima and Afikepo Programmes for improving the livelihoods of more than 1 million households across Malawi through advanced agriculture production and food and nutrition security.
Chithyola said this today during the official closing ceremony for Kulima and Afikepo Programmes at BICC in Lilongwe, under the theme: Sustainable Agriculture Production, Food and Nutrition Security – Cornerstone for a Resilient Malawi.
Finance Minister Simplex Chithyola Banda
After touring pavilions of farmers under the project showcasing locally available diversified crops and produce in all six food groups, he expressed optimism that we are making great strides towards empowering our communities to eradicate hunger and ensure that every household has access to nutritious food.
In his remarks, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale stated that the two programmes have further built the capacity of small holder farmers to improve productivity and value addition, and equipped frontline agricultural officers with vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles to ease their mobility with reliable transportation.
He highlighted that the two programs have contributed towards efforts to achieve an inclusively wealthy and prosperous Malawi.
“We celebrate that our people’s lives in the villages have improved, officers equipped with knowledge and expertise, rehabilitation of three agricultural research stations across the country, improvement in research technology, and restoration of the banana industry,” said Kawale.
The two Ministers expressed gratitude to the EU for financially supporting the project with approximately US$186 million.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach underscored the transformative impact of the Kulima and Afikepo programs, emphasizing empowerment of farmers in diverse economic streams, promoting women’s empowerment, and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
He urged all stakeholders and implementing partners to join hands in building on the lessons learnt and scaling up to ensure continuity.
He further revealed ongoing support through a new project called “Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe” (UCHI), which will be rolled out soon.
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has encouraged the youths, women and other disadvantage groups to participate more in Agri-interpruership through ‘Ukama Utsawi programme the CGAIR regional initiative in order to make money
Speaking during the research findings presentation made by Kirk Development Research Consultancy on Youth Engagement In Agripreneurship: Landscape Analysis In Malawi Stakeholders Validation Meeting on Thursday in Lilongwe, IFPRI Senior Research Fellow Development Strategy and Government Division Kristin Davis said the findings has given the path way on how the international organisation, the government of Malawi and other stakeholders can support the youths in agriculture Agripreneurship in this country.
Participants at the conference
Davis said Agri-business is very important because it’s an engine for economic growth despite misconceptions that deters the youth saying farming is very old fashioned and it’s dirty. She said the youth have become more interested in agriculture according to international statistics, they are turning to be more involved in Agri-business which is the way when it comes to money making.
In his remarks Kirk Development Research Consultancy lead consultant Amon Kabuli said the findings are a bit interesting in the sense that the youth have got a number of challenges that hinders them going into Agriculture as a business. Kabuli said the findings has shown that the youths are lacking skills to be able to venture into Agripreneurship, access to finance is also a problem, access to land by the youth is challenging and also the Mindset Challenge of thinking Agriculture is Old fashioned.
On his part Director of Agriculture Extension in the Ministry of Agriculture Pearson Soko said the findings are in line with what the country has been observing on youth engagement in agripreneurship.
“We have a number of initiatives in agricultural productivity and commercialisation as Malawi 2063 pillar number one. There is need for youth to fully participate in agriculture to achieve the MW2063. Youth participation in agriculture is not an option,” he said.
He added that as a government they have particular projects like Agricultural commercialisation and National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) which is normally targeted call proposal to ensure that youth and women should participate in agriculture commercialisation.
Senior Researcher for International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Dr Karen Nortje emphasised on the need to harness ideas by the youth saying they are enthusiastic about what they want to do.
One of the youth farmers, Fainess Kazembe from Mambe Club, Traditional Authority Msamala in Balaka appealed to stakeholders to assist them address challenges if the youth are to fully participate and take agriculture as a business.
The Kirk Development Research Consultancy made the three months research from October to December 2023 in the districts of Balaka, Chikwawa, Nkhotakota and Nkhatabay respectively.
The Ukana Ustiwa programme is a CGAIR regional integrated initiative and they are working to diversify for resilient agrifood systems in East and Southern Africa.
Acts of corruption can be reduced if citizens and civil society groups are encouraged to demand more accountability from public officials, a development which would ensure public resources are spent on activities beneficial to the public.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Media, Information and Communications, Susan Dossi, said this on Thursday in Lilongwe at a workshop where Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) was orienting Tobacco Commission management on Access to Information law.
“It is important for public institutions to share information with the public. We believe that transparency and accountability is key. If institutions are accountable and transparent to the public, they should be able to protect the public finances that institutions use,” said Dossi.
She added that the demand for information from public bodies by citizens has now increased, saying this is very important as it will minimise the spread of false and inaccurate information.
“We believe that when the public is well informed and it has the required information, then they would not go on social media and disseminate information which is wrong, something that they are just creating,” she said.
Dossi added that her committee would continue to exercise its mandate of ensuring that all public institutions are fully transparent and accountable to the people whom they govern by providing information requested by stakeholders.
She commended the Tobacco Commission for taking this step to invite MHRC to orient its (Tobacco Commission’s) staff on the Access to Information Act and Access to Information Regulations in accordance with Section 14 of the Access to Information Act.
Tobacco Commission Public Relations Officer Telephorus Chigwenembe said the company realised it is important to improve the way it makes information accessible to the public to ensure that the public is fully aware of what is happening in the industry.
He said: “We are a public institution and because of the nature of our business, we have a lot of interest from a lot of stakeholders within and outside the industry.
“Tobacco drives the economy, so a lot of people are interested in what happens in the tobacco industry.”
MHRC Civil and Political Rights Officer (Legal) Nancy Chiume said there are many gaps on the part of information holders that relate to understanding the processes and procedures on using this law in disseminating information.
Chiume, however, said there is some progress in some of the institutions that the access to Information law applies, especially on appointing information officers.
The Access to Information became law in 2017, but its implementation started in 2020. The law empowers citizens to obtain information held by public bodies.
Incumbent Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu has on Thursday evening launched his manifesto titled ‘Bridging the Gap’ for the December 16, 2023 FAM Elections.
Unpacking the manifesto, Nyamilandu disclosed plans to level the sport in the country to be at par with the rest of the world.
Nyamilandu
“We have raised the bar in our football but we are not satisfied. We want to be at the level our friends in terms of infrastructure, technology, administration, finance, player motivation, commercializing the game, governance you name it.
“We carried out a survey and findings indicate that all these are the gaps. So we want to take our football to another level,” said Nyamilandu.
He promised to introduce Malawi Schools Football Trophy to strengthen youth football with attractive sponsorship beyond K100 million.
Nyamilandu also promised increased contribution towards sponsorship for youth leagues from K80 million to K200 million by 2027 to reinforce U-14, U-17 and U-19 football competitions.
He also promised increased and continued sponsorship for beach soccer which has established a thriving national competition through the HTD Beach Soccer Championship along the shores of Lake Malawi by increasing sponsorship from the current K35 million to K100 million by 2027
On infrastructure development, Nyamilandu said he will construct a 40 000 seater stadium with an inbuilt sports village containing netball, basketball, volleyball courts and athletic running track in Blantyre.
In the quest to promote football in rural areas, the incumbent FAM boss said he will increase sponsorship of the FAM District Cup and the Division One League from K2 million to K5 million per district and K25 million to K50 million per region respectively by 2027.
“Women’s football will continue to be managed as a project in order to accelerate growth and development of the game whilst endeavouring to popularise and develop it from bottom-up so that it becomes a powerful force to reckon with and a strong brand that attracts both the public and private sector,”he said.
He further promised to improve the welfare of female players by enforcing the recommended government minimum wage with favourable conditions of service that are backed by employment contracts as guided by the labour laws, and also continue offering free medical insurance policy to all female players that are registered in the elite league of women’s football.
Nyamilandu also pledged to increase the annual grants of member affiliates from K30 million to K60 million by 2027.
In an effort to motivate national team players,he promised to increase their game bonus to USD1 000, USD500 and USD250 per player for the World Cup, AFCON and COSAFA respectively.
He also indicated that his manifesto offers to improve the welfare of football legends by offering free medical insurance, pension and vocational training using a portion of FAM´s gate earnings.
He finished the presentation of his manifesto by appealing to affiliates to give him another shot as FAM president to fulfil his dreams of transforming football in the country.
He said: “Whilst we are the crossroads, we cannot afford to gamble on who should be at the helm of Malawi football on 16th December 2023, failing which we run the risk of losing all the gains that have been made or sliding backwards. At this defining moment, when I look around you have no choice; and you will lose nothing by according me (Walter MacMillan Nyamilandu Manda) a last term of office because I have proven to be a performer and demonstrated that I am not embarking on trial and error mission. It is my dream to leave a lasting legacy that will put Malawi football on a pedestal for posterity.”
On his part, Minister of Youth and Sports Uchizi Mkandawire who was guest of honour at the function called on fans to exercise patience and desist from acts of violence during the campaign period and elections.
“We have witnessed one of our esteemed sons share his vision and plan for football.
“As government we are ready to work with leadership at Football Association of Malawi together as we seek to improve football. As government we will be there to ensure smooth elections. We appeal to everyone to desist from acts of violence,” he said
Nyamilandu Manda is being challenged by Super League of Malawi (SULOM) President, Fleetwood Haiya in the elections which will take place in Mzuzu.
As infight in the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) continues, its President Peter Mutharika has removed embattled Secretary General Greselder Jeffrey from her position and replaced her with Dr.Clement Mwale.
Jeffrey has since been moved to the position of DPP Vice-President for the Central Region.
In a statement released yesterday, Mutharika says he has made the changes in exercise of his powers as read in Article 10 (8) of the DPP constitution.
Mutharika and Grezelder
“I am hereby assigning Honourable Greselder Jeffrey to the position of vice-president Central Region and Honourable Dr Clement Mwale to the position of secretary general with immediate effect,” says Mutharika in a statement.
But writing on her Facebook page wall, Jeffrey has declined the new post arguing that it is only the elective convention that can remove her from SG position.
She challenges that if anyone wants to remove her must compete at the party convention.
The development comes barely two days after Jeffrey organized DPP’s National Governing Counsel (NGC) meeting which saw only 34 members out of 71 invited attending.
The meeting was in preparation for the party’s elective convention.
Jeffrey is leading the DPP camp of Kondwani Nankhumwa, Mark Bottoman, Joyce Chitsulo, Ken Msonda, Billy Malata, Ralph Juma, Uladi Mussa, Nicholas Dausi and others.
