By George Mponda

Karonga, May 8, Mana: Norwegian Ambassador to Malawi Ingrid Marie Mikelsen has pledged her government’s commitment to continue supporting smallholder farmers in Malawi amidst adverse effects of climate change.

Mikelsen was speaking Tuesday when she inspected a Rice Milling Plant belonging to Kaporo Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi which is under National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) and paddy fields belonging to some rice seed multipliers in Karonga District.

" Partnership between NASFAM and Norwegian Government started in 2000. Smallholder farmers promote government efforts in ensuring food security, they should add value to their farm produce for them to have ready markets for their produce," Mikelsen said.

Norway understands the effects of climate change on agriculture in Malawi. This is why our government will continue supporting smallholder farmers for them to be resilient and mitigate such effects by practising climate smart agriculture,” said Mikelsen.

In her remarks, Chief Executive Officer for NASFAM, Betty Chinyamunyamu hailed the Norwegian Government for its support to smallholder farmers in Karonga who grow Kilombero Rice under KASFAM.

" We depend on smallholder farmers in terms of food security and forex through their agricultural exports. We encourage them sell their farm produce and sell in bulk to attract good prices as such, NASFAM Commercial buys from them hence realizing reasonable profits," Chinyamunyamu said.

She then advised smallholder farmers in Malawi to form cooperatives for them to access better markets and farm mechanisation equipment at cheaper prices.

One of the seed mutlipliers under KASFAM, Kings Mwambene from Fundi Village in the area of Senior Chief Kilipura in the district said collective selling out farm produce has proved a very productive and efficient initiative in agribusiness.