Usaid for robust agriculture sector
The United States Aid Agency for International Development (Usaid) wants Malawi to be a robust agriculture country as it is one of the vehicles that can take many people out of poverty.
Speaking during the launch of the Malawi Agriculture Policy Strengthening (Maps) Project at Nathenje in Lilongwe on Wednesday, deputy mission director Stephanie Funk said America is assisting 275 000 households with agricultural interventions with the goal of increasing farm incomes and agricultural productivity.
According to Funk, through one of Barak Obama’s project, Feed the Future, America wants to partner with the Malawi government and non-State actors to benefit many farmers.
Said Funk: “Maps which implements one of the three pillars of president Obama’s Feed the Future Initiative will implement one part of the policy engagement piece by working with non-State actors. These non-State actors are Farmers Union and the Malawi Confederations of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) and they are among the first local organisations to become direct USaid implementers on the Feed the Future basis.”
She said inclusive policy processes increase accountability of public and non-public service providers, broaden citizen’s influence on decisions and build capacity hence, the decision to work with non-State actors.
“The creativity and experience of non-State actors is a critical component in the success of all development efforts in Malawi. It has been observed that such participation has been the hallmark of the sector wide approaches in education and health here in Malawi,” said Funk.
Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) chief executive officer Prince Kapondamgaga said FUM wants to reach out to many farmers to change their lives hence, it asked for assistance from USaid.
He said the project has come at a right time as FUM is developing a new strategic direction in which policy and advocacy form one of the strategic pillars.
“This project will form one of the key and very important services that FUM as an umbrella body for farmer organisations will provide to its membership,” said Kapondamgaga.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ulemu Chilapondwa said the Malawi Agricultural Policy Strengthening as part of the Feed the Future is aimed at strengthening capacities of local organisations to engage in policy dialogue.
Usaid will pump in about $1.6 million (K560 million) in the programme which is expected to run for three years.
The programme, which focuses on legumes and dairy only, is being implemented in Mzimba, Dedza, Ntcheu, Mangochi and Thyolo but it is expected that the impacts will be nationwide.
