By Pemphero Malimba:
Malawi needs at least a $1.2 billion investment to transform its food systems between 2024 and 2030.
This is according to the 2024-2030 Malawi Food Systems Strategy and Investment Plan which was presented on Thursday during a national stakeholder consultation on Acceleration of Malawi’s Food Systems Transformation in Lilongwe.
The money is needed to strengthen the food supply system, enrich the environmental system, improve health system and enhance the social, economic and political systems.
Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary responsible for Technical Services Medrina Mloza Banda said there was a need for collaborative efforts to transform the country’s food systems.
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“This national consultation serves as a beacon of hope bringing together diverse stakeholders from government academia, civil society and the private sector to chart a cause towards a more prosperous and equitable future for all Malawians,” Banda said.
She further challenged stakeholders in the agriculture sector to help in addressing challenges that smallholder farmers face in the country.
Feed the Future Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab Director Shibani Ghosh said the meeting was critical as it was a platform for finding ways of executing the plan.
“The government of Malawi has developed comprehensive plans for food systems transformation; so, this is a critical gathering as it is about taking stock of the progress that has happened over the years of transformation but also identifying where there are opportunities to increase collaboration across different partners and stakeholders and come up with the way forward,” Ghosh said.
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National Planning Commission Research Manager Andrew Jamali said addressing challenges facing food systems transformation can help stakeholders to achieve Malawi 2063.
“Food systems cut across various sectors such as production, distribution, marketing and agro-processing which fit in the pillars of enablers of Malawi 2063 to the extent that if we operationalise food systems interventions we are silently addressing some of the key interventions under the pillars and enablers of Malawi 2063,” he said.
Mwapata Institute Executive Director William Chadza said stakeholders were of the view that there is a need for the country to embrace diversified food production and diets.
The consultation meeting was organised by Mwapata Institute in collaboration with the National Planning Commission, among other stakeholders
