Think-tank for responsive reforms in agriculture sector
Malawi Agricultural Policy Advancement and Transformation Agenda (Mwapata) Institute says it plans to strengthen the country’s capacity to consider, determine and implement responsive reforms in agriculture sector.
The newly-created self-sustaining agricultural policy think-tank is working in partnership with Michigan State University, NPC and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar).
In his presentation on Wednesday during a media breakfast in Lilongwe, the institute’s executive director Sloans Chimatiro said it is important to note that wealth from agriculture can only be generated through more effective management of agriculture and institutional arrangements.
“One of our objectives for our existence is to identify policies that improve the investment climate, promote diversification and commercialisation of the agriculture sector,” he said.
On his part, Mwapata Institute chairperson Richard Mkandawire, who doubles as chairperson for National Planning Commission (NPC), said gone are the days when the country used to heavily rely on research advice, borrowed polices and programmes from international research think-tanks.
Despite being an agro-based economy, agriculture’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) has in recent years decreased from 35 percent to 30 percent.
