By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera has called on local private sector companies to emulate the gesture by Press-cane company which has joined hands with over 2,000 smallholder farmers in cultivating a land of 1,069 hectares under Katunga-Maseya (KAMA) Cooperate Mega Farm in Chikwawa district in achieving the 2063 vision, saying it is a model of strategic partnership.
The President was speaking during the launch of the KAMA Cooperative Mega Farm on Tuesday, 10th October, 2023 in Chikwawa.
“I want to commend Presscane, the local private sector company that is working with KAMA Cooperative to develop this Mega Farm and serving as its off-taker. What you have done here is to make history as a private sector player by answering Malawi 2063 vision pillar of Agro-industrialization with action. And I call on other private sector players to be inspired by your example” Said President Chakwera.
In his speech President Chakwera urged Malawians to stop looking down on themselves, saying time has come for them to stand alone and start working towards realizing a dream that will let them prosper together as a nation.
Said the Malawi leader; “I want to challenge all of us as a country to start telling ourselves that we are an agro-based economy. Why do we say that our economy strength is in agriculture when we produce so little from agriculture. If productivity amongst smallholder farmers is not even at 50 percent of its potential, then it means we are not maximizing our resources in order to really become an agricultural stronghold.
Our economy has the potential to have a strong agricultural base, but this potential will not become a true strength until we start to produce big-time.
The President then told the nation that Agricultural Commercialization (AGCOM) project exists to facilitate and resource projects that are ambitious, bold, and seek to produce more like the Katunga-Maseya Mega Farm that has been launched in Chikwawa district.
Further, President Chakwera commended the World Bank for being a great trusted partner with a total of K95 billion in funding for AGCOM 1 project and its commitment to triple the funding towards AGCOM 2 project.
“Government has put in 70 percent of the resources to KAMA project which is amounting to K5.3 billion secured from the World Bank as a grant and not a loan” Emphasized President Chakwera.
In his remarks, World Bank country manager, Hugh Riddell, commended President Chakwera for his high level political will to enhance productive partnerships among smallholder farmers in the country.
The KAMA Cooperative Mega Farm has been established to among others grow Sugarcane.
