Agricultural progress is crucial for the country’s development, President Lazarus Chakwera said yesterday when he opened the 17th National Agriculture Fair in Blantyre.
After a two-year absence, the agricultural showcase that brings together farmers, agro-processors, non-State actors, researchers and government technocrats returned to the Chichiri Trade Fair Grounds. In his words, Chakwera said Malawi can transform economically only if agriculture is prioritised.
“Most countries have developed because of agriculture. The Netherlands rose because of selling flowers, China rose because of corn and wheat. We need to collectively work together towards high value production and move our focus from solely depending on rain-fed agriculture,” he said.
According to the President, the fair which runs up to tomorrow, is critical as it brings together players in the value chain.
Minister of Agriculture Lobin Lowe said the fair, coming under the theme ‘Building the Agriculture Sector Back and Better in a Covid-19 Environment’, comes at a crucial moment as the sector has had adverse effects on farming.
During the opening, Chakwera presented awards to seed manufacturer Bayer Malawi, the Department of Fisheries, the National Association for Smallholder Farmers of Malawi and Lilongwe Dairy for being best performers.
According to the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry president James Chimwaza, about 47 agriculture stakeholders are participating in the fair
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