Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Roza Mbilizi, says collaboration is key to agricultural transformation.
She made the remarks in Lilongwe during celebrations marking 20 years of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) in Malawi.
She said AGRA’s achievements over the past two decades are the result of collaboration among government, the private sector, financial institutions, researchers, farmer organisations and development partners.
Mbilizi said AGRA has played a key role in supporting Malawi’s efforts to transform the agricultural sector.
She said this has included building scientific and seed system foundations, connecting farmers to knowledge, inputs, services and markets, as well as linking productivity, policy, institutions, inclusion, finance and regional trade.
AGRA Country Director Eluphy Nyirenda has described the organisation’s 20 years in Malawi as two decades of advancing agricultural transformation through support for government programmes in seed production and research, as well as financing young people to pursue PhDs and degree programmes at various universities.
In his keynote address, National Planning Commission Board Chairperson Professor Richard Mkandawire called for urgency in implementing agricultural transformation programmes.
By Mwai Mtumodzi
