Financial market dealers explore agro opportunities

Members of the Financial Market Dealers Association (Fimda) are meeting in Mangochi for their 2023 annual lakeshore conference with focus on exploring opportunities in agriculture financing to boost foreign exchange generation.

National Plaaning Commission director-general Thomas Chataghalala Munthali delivered a keynote address at the conference being held under the theme ‘The role of financial markets in attainment of MIP-1 (First 10-Year Implementation Plan) of Pilla 1 of Malawi 2063: Agricultural Productivity and Commercialisation’.

He challenged the Fimda membership to develop financing models that will bribg smallholder farmers on board and boost productivity, includingvdiversification as well as value addition for exports.

Said Munthali: “Structured markets and increased productivity are key to achieving pillar one (of MW2063).”

He noted that Covid-19 and other crises worsened Malawi’s situation which for ling has been characterised by low fiscal space, acute foreign exchange shortages and unsustaibable debt.

But Munthali said with the right appriach to investment in agriculture, foeeign exchange can be geberated.

Fimda president Leslie Fatch said the association settles for the theme as part of finding solutions to some problems affecting the economy.

He said financial markets can give agriculture a push through financing.

Several presentations have been lined up focusing on the them and suggesting funding models.

This year’s Fimda annual lakeshore conference has attracted 134 delegates, a record for the association.