Occupational safety experts have gathered in Blantyre for a stakeholders’ workshop aimed at finalising the development of safety and health regulations in agriculture.
According to Johanes Mandowa, an occupational safety expert under the European Union Fund, the regulations are crucial in addressing challenges facing the agriculture sector in Malawi.
“We’ve got environmental hazards, psychosocial hazards, and an array of so many challenges that are confronting agriculture workers that we want to really address through the development of this particular regulation.
“It’s quite significant, because you cannot talk of sustainable economic development if you are not able, as a country, to promote the attainment of decent jobs in the workplace environment,” Mandowa said
The current labour laws in Malawi, specifically the Occupational Safety, Health and Welfare Act of 1997, are too generic and do not comprehensively cover the hazards and risks peculiar to the agriculture sector.
Mandowa emphasized that the new regulations will provide comprehensive coverage of safety and health risks in the agriculture sector.
“This is a step in the right direction towards domesticating the ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO), Convention 184 and Malawi is obligated under this particular convention to make sure that they domesticate it.” Mandowa said.
The development of safety and health regulations in agriculture is expected to promote decent work and sustainable economic development in Malawi.
By Mercy Zamawa
