As countries across Africa and beyond are increasingly becoming aware of the key role played by agro-dealers in the agriculture sector, the National Agro-dealers Association of Malawi (NADA), has taken a bold step in ensuring that agro-dealers are well-resourced and represented in their industry.
This was revealed during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on July 31, 2023 at Thope Lodge.
The AGM, which attracted representatives from all the regions, aimed at strengthening the capacity of agro-dealers through the association’s formal representation at all levels.
“With representatives from various regions coming together, the AGM aimed to ensure that agro-dealers had a strong voice in the economic discourse and were well-represented in discussions concerning their industry.
“One of the key accomplishments of the AGM was making significant progress towards enhancing the legal and business infrastructure for agrodealers. By identifying and addressing existing gaps and challenges in the industry’s organizational setup, the AGM set the foundation for a more streamlined and efficient agrodealing sector. This would not only benefit individual agrodealers but also contribute to the overall growth and development of the agricultural sector in the country,” reads a statement in part made available to media after the meeting.
According to the statement, resource mobilization was also one of the issues high on the agenda considering that the execution of their lined-up projects requires financial resources.
In that vein, the AGM laid structures that would help in securing funding and investment opportunities to sustain the association’s operations and also enhance the financial capacity of its members.
The statement further indicates that the AGM tackled holistically challenges facing the agro-dealing community.
“By providing a platform for agro-dealers to share their experiences and concerns, the AGN gained valuable insights into the issues hindering the smooth execution of their trade mandates. This allowed the association to develop targeted strategies and solutions to overcome these challenges, leading to a more efficient and thriving agro-dealing industry,” the statement reads.
NADA is a non-profit national organization that spearheads the themes concerning agro-dealers at the national level. The organization currently has 100 corporate members and even more individual members across all the districts of the nation, from the Northern Region, Central Region, and Southern Region up to the Eastern Region.
NADA’s establishment is in line with recent studies that have revealed that Agro dealer associations have the potential to boost agriculture if governments, NGOs, and the private sector partner with them in drafting policies and legal instruments in the agro-dealing industry.
