New FUM president outlines vision
Newly-elected Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) president Frighton Njolomole says his immediate plan is to position the farmers’ organisation to become a key strategic partner for achieving agricultural transformation agenda.
Njolomole, who has replaced Alfred Kapichira-Banda through an election, said in an interview that during his tenure, FUM will embark on an analysis of its capacity to assess its ability to effectively work with the government, the private sector and development partners in ensuring that the country attains the aspirations contained in the National Agriculture Policy and the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDSIII).
“The union will also engage in evidence-based advocacy initiatives with the government to ensure that structural and institutional barriers that are plaguing the agricultural sector are ameliorated,” he said.
Njolomole said currently, the union is in the process of conducting a number of value chain studies to unearth challenges thereby adding value to its advocacy strategy.
He said among the many challenges, farmers are grappling with productivity levels as most of them are operating far below the potential
On his part, outgoing president Kapichira Banda described his tenure as a success, saying, among others, he improved the welfare of farmers, especially smallholders.
FUM is an umbrella body of farmers and farmer organisations.
