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Past Events

MwAPATA Executive Director participates in the launch of The 16th Malawi Economic Monitor
Friday, 9th December 2022

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In a wide-ranging panel discussion, the MwAPATA Executive Director was asked to comment on many things, including the role of agricultural commercialization in transforming Malawi’s economy. He argues commercialization, be it by “mega” farms or smallholders, is essential, “but the difficult question ​now to ask is the why has not that occurred in this country all along?”

He further explains, "we have, perhaps, not accepted the complexity of challenges which are before us, and the complexity of challenges which the smallholder farmers are facing, that [hinders] commercialization. Over the years we have looked for 'one cause' to low agricultural

MwAPATA Executive Director, William Chadza, participates in a panel discussion launching the 16th Malawi Economic Monitor in Lilongwe on December 9th.

productivity and commercialization, which has been low use of inorganic fertilizers. We have given all attention to that, hoping that [fertilizer] is going to solve our problems. But farmers are facing multiple challenges for them to move into commercialization.”

 

The Executive Director goes on to highlight issues of land access, declining farm size, low crop response to inorganic fertilizers, under-funded agricultural research and extension, access to financing, links to markets, and under-investment in public infrastructure. Any too narrowly focused agenda carries risk because “there is a whole host of challenges which the farmers are facing.”

 

See the full panel discussion.

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