Technology centre deepening enterprise development
The Malawi Industrial Research and Technology Development Centre (Mirtdc) says it is committed to deepening enterprise development that will culminate into a nationwide matching grant facility to support innovative economic development initiatives.
Mirtdc director general Christopher Guta said Friday in Monkey Bay, Mangochi that the economic development initiative, are geared towards promoting the formation of local business organisations or economic clusters or enterprises and value chains.
“[They are also geared towards] mobilising community assets and putting them into productive use, creating jobs through enterprise development and promoting economic development partnerships and alliances between government, business and communities,” he said at the close of the enterprise development training session under the Local Economic Development Product (Ledp) of the Local Development Fund (LDF) funded by the African Development Fund (ADF).
The Ledp, which is being piloted in Mangochi, Phalombe, Ntchisi and Mzimba, seeks to contribute to poverty reduction through public-private initiative, supporting productive investments to stimulate pro-poor economic growth and contribute towards an enabling environment for local economic development.
Deepening enterprise development is one of the four components of the programme and others are development of growth centres, enhancement of the capacity of local authorities and programme support and knowledge management.
The trainings, which are addressing skills development to three products; confectioneries (bread and other similar products), processed fish and honey, are being undertaken under the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Mirtdc and LDF.
Guta said before the trainings, they conducted training needs verification in all the four districts and came up with 18 business areas in which skills and marketing training are required.
“These training programmes are, therefore, a culmination of a well-grounded process aimed at meeting demand driven needs to contribute towards fulfillment of the centre’s obligations under the MoU with the LDF technical support team,’” he said.
Director of Planning and Development for Mangochi District Council, Ernest Kadzokoya, hoped that the project will achieve the intended purpose of creating jobs and lessening rural poverty.
“You have to impart the skills to your friends so that you become self-reliant,” he said, adding that the project has targeted 70 groups out of which five have been undergoing training.
One of the beneficiaries, Edward Kamwana, said they learnt things they did not know before.
“We hope our businesses will be profitable now than ever before,” he said.
