Malawi can self-sustain-Chakwera after inspecting wheat harvesting in Dowa

* This country has the potential to become self-dependent provided we find the right solutions to our challenges

* As Chakwera also officially launched this year’s affordable inputs programme (AIP)

* With a message that the country must get into serious agricultural productivity to turn around the economy

By Sylvester Kumwenda & Wanangwa Tembo, MANA

President Lazarus Chakwera has said Malawi has the potential of becoming a self-reliant country through innovations in sectors like agriculture after he inspected wheat harvesting activities at Mpale Wheat Farm-Pyxus Agriculture in Senior Chief Chakhaza in Dowa.

Chakwera said the country needs to come up with tangible solutions that address challenges the country is facing, like huge costs of importation of goods like wheat, which drains the country’s forex and renders prices of byproducts high.

“This country has the potential to become self-dependent provided we find the right solutions to our challenges,” he said. “For example, we lose a lot of foreign currency in importing wheat into the country, and products made of it tend to cost high too.

“So, when we innovate in wheat production, we are sure that in the long run, we will be able to meet a huge part of the country’s wheat demand, reduce costs of products and significantly cut on forex externalization, which are all crucial factors in the development of this country,” he said while commending Pyxus for innovating in multiplying wheat seed whose four brands government recently introduced in Malawi.

He added that farmers in mega farms, through the Shire Valley Transformation Programme and other large-scale farmers could have a chance to use the seed which are high yielding and mature in three months.

He then called upon all Malawians to continue working hard and also support interventions that can transform the socioeconomic profile of this country.

Controller of agricultural extension & technical services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Alfred Mwenefumbo, said in an interview that government is committed to looking at different potentials that can reduce the importation of crops consumed in Malawi like wheat.

“In the past years, Malawi used to grow wheat, but the problem was that the varieties took a long time, like 6 months to mature, so it was a challenge. But this wheat matures in three months which is good considering the climate change being experienced.

“We now want to popularize these varieties so that all stakeholders including large scale farmers are aware of these, and processors to understand the importance of local wheat production. All this aims at having effective wheat production systems in the country,” he said.

Pyxus chief executive officer, Ronald Ngwira said the company decided to venture into multiplication of the new four brands of wheat because of the potential wheat production the country has.

“I think it is very important for Malawi because the country currently imports $48 million worth of wheat. And 99% of the wheat we use is imported and we only grow 1% of it.

“So, what we intend to do is to is multiply the wheat so that by summer next year, we should have around 150,000kgs of wheat seed enough to be cultivated on 15,000 hectares of land. This looks promising and it will be a game changer for the nation,” he said.

Meanwhile, after after he inspected the wheat farming, Chakwera officially launched this year’s affordable inputs programme (AIP) with a message that the country must get into serious agricultural productivity to turn around the economy.

The launch took place at Kavidebwere Primary School under Kaluluma extension planning area (EPA) in the area of Traditional Authority Kaluluma in Kasungu where the President said the country must exploit the opportunities in the agriculture sector to produce more crops for both consumption and export.

He said Malawi must start generating its own funds through agricultural commercialisation to become self-reliant and be able to finance its development needs without relying on borrowing.

“The achievement of food security for every household in Malawi is one of this government’s priorities. Dependency cannot drive the country forward. Everyone in their homes, villages and towns must be self-reliant and that is what will earn us some respect.

“But if we are to be self-reliant, we have to adopt modern methods of agriculture and mechanise our farming.”

He said Malawi cannot develop if it relies on debts hence the need for farmers to get into cooperatives as the country establishes mega farms.

“If we implement all these plans, Malawi will not be the same,” said the President, who also directed the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that these year’s AIP activities are concluded within 40 days, warning he will not allow the process to be abused.

Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said this year’s programme is earmarked to benefit 1.5 million people where 1.49 million farming households will benefit from fertiliser and seeds while the remainder will redeem goats.

“Government has put in place other programmes for those that will not be on AIP,” the Minister said. “We have beneficiaries under social cash transfer & public works programmes and others under Agricultural Commercialisation.

“If we add all the numbers, we will see that there are over 1 million people to benefit through these other programmes,” he said adding that 73% of the fertiliser needed under the AIP programme is already in the country, stressing that distribution has already started with hard to reach areas.

“This year, no one will sleep in fertiliser depots. As we are speaking, 55 transport contractors are already on the ground. Network glitches have been fixed,” he said, while emphasizing that this year’s inputs will be redeemed in ADMARC and Smallhorder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) depots and through mobile markets.

At least K109.8 billion will be spent on this year’s AIP initiative.