Malawi President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera yesterday emphasized the need to bring the concept of large-scale farms, known as mega farms, into reality. The President has called upon various stakeholders to actively support this initiative. Chakwera made these remarks during an event held in Kanengo, Lilongwe, where he officially introduced the Mega Farm Support Program and One Stop Support Centre and Coordinating Unit for the program.
Chakwera highlighted that the introduction of the program marks a significant turning point for farmers in Malawi. He acknowledged that Malawian farmers possess extensive knowledge and experience in agriculture but haven’t been able to fully capitalize on its benefits. The President emphasized that the program’s launch aligns with the Malawi Vision 2063, a ten-year plan aimed at elevating the country’s economy to a lower middle-income status by the year 2030.
“Most of our foreign exchange comes from farming and a long-term solution to foreign scarcity is boosting productivity and exports, and this is why we need these mega farms,” he said.
Chakwera further pointed out that his government is very committed to identify export markets to the country’s products and also improve access to finance “which is something we have to take seriously.”
President Chakwera also revealed that his government has collaborated with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) to provide farmers with technical assistance and a range of business skills. Currently, around 800 farmers have been organized to initiate the program, and approximately 63,000 hectares of land have been allocated for cultivating various value chains in the upcoming 2023/24 farming season.
