Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola Banda has commended Oxfam in Malawi for promoting women farmers and linking them to markets for their produce.
He said this on Friday at Chaima in Kasungu District during activities that Oxfam in Malawi and its partners organised to raise awareness on women rights in relation to agriculture.
The activities were part of the project dubbed Enhancing Access to Profitable and Inclusive Agriculture Markets for Smallholder Farmers in Kasungu District that Circle for Integrated Community Development and the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi with funding from the Flanders Government through Oxfam in Malawi.
“I am impressed that the project is focusing on establishing market linkages to ensure that farmers have access to markets which is key to ensuring that they benefit from their work,” said Chithyola Banda.
He encouraged farmers to get into cooperatives so that they increase their bargaining power for their produce.
Said Chithyola Banda: “If you make cooperatives, you are better placed to bargain for good prices from off-takers and make more profits.
“We commend Oxfam in Malawi for promoting this kind of approach to agriculture and we are aware of the huge impact this project has on our farming households.”
Oxfam in Malawi gender coordinator Lindiwe Jere said there is need to raise awareness on women’s rights focusing on gender-based violence, child labour and social norms that affect women’s participation in agriculture.
“Apart from enhancing the capacity of smallholder farmers, particularly women and youths, to produce marketable and profitable agricultural commodities, we are also promoting gender transformative approaches to enhance equal participation,” she said.
Oxfam in Malawi is implementing the project in Santhe, Chamama, Mtunthama and Chulu extension planning areas in the district.
