By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, March 23, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale has handed over cheques worth K6.5 billion to 41 cooperatives from 13 districts across the country in a bid to boost agri-businesses of the groups for increased productivity and vibrant export market.

This is under a World Bank supported initiative of the government flagship programme, Agricultural Commercialization (AGCOM) 2, which was launched by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera in November last year, with an aim of transforming smallholder agriculture from mostly subsistence to commercial.

Speaking during the presentation of the cheques to the groups at Malembo in Senior Chief Nankumba's area in Mangochi on Friday, Kawale said he was excited to see that the agricultural transformation agenda, which is in the Malawi 2063 Agenda has started taking shape.

Kawale said that through AGCOM, government expects to graduate majority of farmers, who have, for so many years been practicing smallholder agriculture, without getting any tangible benefits.

‘‘The Vision 2063 clearly talks about agricultural mechanization, increase in productivity, as well as having a very vibrant export market and through empowering farmers with grants, we believe that help in reaching that goal,’’ he added.

‘‘Through AGCOM, we want to see that our farmers are transformed into commercial and that is why over K600 billion is going to be invested into cooperatives in the coming few years,’’ said Kawale.

Kawale added that through programmes like AGCOM as well as mega farms initiatives, Malawi will soon be food secure and will generate enough income.

National Project Coordinator for AGCOM, Dr. Ted Nakhumwa encouraged communities across the country to apply for the grant, by forming value addition groups of 20 members each.

Nakhumwa said that through AGCOM 1, which phased out last year, livelihoods of most farmers in the country have tremendously improved.

Before the handover ceremony, Kawale also toured Mlambe Irrigation Scheme, under the Greenbelt Authority, which is amongst the mega farm initiative, where government intends to do commercial irrigation farming of close to 800 hectares.