By Staff Reporter
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda has hailed Kulima and Afikepo Programmes for improving the livelihoods of more than 1 million households across Malawi through advanced agriculture production and food and nutrition security.
Chithyola said this today during the official closing ceremony for Kulima and Afikepo Programmes at BICC in Lilongwe, under the theme: Sustainable Agriculture Production, Food and Nutrition Security – Cornerstone for a Resilient Malawi.
After touring pavilions of farmers under the project showcasing locally available diversified crops and produce in all six food groups, he expressed optimism that we are making great strides towards empowering our communities to eradicate hunger and ensure that every household has access to nutritious food.
In his remarks, Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale stated that the two programmes have further built the capacity of small holder farmers to improve productivity and value addition, and equipped frontline agricultural officers with vehicles, motorbikes and bicycles to ease their mobility with reliable transportation.
He highlighted that the two programs have contributed towards efforts to achieve an inclusively wealthy and prosperous Malawi.
“We celebrate that our people’s lives in the villages have improved, officers equipped with knowledge and expertise, rehabilitation of three agricultural research stations across the country, improvement in research technology, and restoration of the banana industry,” said Kawale.
The two Ministers expressed gratitude to the EU for financially supporting the project with approximately US$186 million.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach underscored the transformative impact of the Kulima and Afikepo programs, emphasizing empowerment of farmers in diverse economic streams, promoting women’s empowerment, and fostering sustainable agricultural practices.
He urged all stakeholders and implementing partners to join hands in building on the lessons learnt and scaling up to ensure continuity.
He further revealed ongoing support through a new project called “Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe” (UCHI), which will be rolled out soon.
