Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) is back with the 20th edition of the National Agriculture Fair with a call to local firms to adopt innovative approaches to production for increased output and economic growth.
The Fair is scheduled to take place from the August 29 to 31 at the Chichiri Trade Fair Grounds under the theme; Driving Towards Export-oriented Agriculture through Commercialisation and Innovation.
According to MCCCI Director of Membership Development Wezi Mungoni the Fair will presents several opportunities for enhancing agricultural production and productivity to catalyse inclusive wealth creation and self-reliance.
She said: “Agriculture, though the mainstay of Malawi’s economy, contributing close to a quarter of the country’s gross domestic product, has remained below its potential and cannot match the increasing demand from domesticand export markets. Furthermore, commercialisation, value addition and mechanisation in the sector remains limited.”
Mungoni said the agriculture fair will create a platform for information sharing on best practices and for business linkages and of the evolving developments in the sector.
Government through the Minister of Trade and Industry Sosten Gwengwe is on record as having said Malawi needs to commercialise the agriculture sector for food security and increased export.
He said government is making efforts through incentives such as tax reductions for agricultural inputs and subsidised electricity for smallholder farmers to help it produce more efficiently.
Agriculture contributes about 25 percent to the country’s gross domestic product and employs about 64 percent of the labour force and contributes about 85 percent to foreign exchange.
