Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Roza Mbilizi has challenged the private sector to support government efforts to promote inclusive, innovative and efficient agricultural production.
Mbilizi made the call Thursday at Chichiri Trade Fair Grounds in Blantyre during the official opening of the 22nd National Agriculture Fair.
She said the private sector is critical to transforming agriculture, saying government alone cannot drive the sector.
“We need greater investment in production, mechanisation, irrigation, processing, storage, logistics and marketing.
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“Women and youth must also be at the centre of this transformation, with opportunities in mechanisation, input supply, agro-processing, digital agriculture, logistics, marketing and other agribusinesses,” Mbilizi said.
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She said government was committed to creating an enabling environment for women and young people to access finance, technology, markets and business services.
Mbilizi said agricultural transformation should improve farmers’ livelihoods by increasing incomes, expanding market access, adding value and creating profitable opportunities.
She also urged exhibitors and participants to use the fair to identify markets, establish partnerships, attract investment and exchange knowledge.
According to Mbilizi, 425 producer organisations and 41 small and medium-sized enterprises have received grants under the Malawi Food Systems Resilience Programme (Agcom 2.0), supported by the World Bank.
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Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Ronald Ngwira said the three-day fair provided a platform for players in the sector to share best practices and explore new agricultural technologies.
Ngwira said the 2025 National Agriculture Fair generated deals worth K2.4 billion in dairy and honey, sales of more than K100 million in farm equipment and soybean supplies worth K3.5 million per month.
“We must move beyond viewing agriculture simply as a source of food and livelihoods. Agriculture must become more productive, commercial, technology-driven and market-oriented, creating jobs, supplying industry and generating foreign exchange.
“Our challenge is not simply to produce more but to produce efficiently, add value and connect production to profitable markets. Innovation is central to this transformation,” Ngwira said.
The fair has 139 exhibition booths occupied by 77 exhibitors, including input suppliers, agro-processors, farmer organisations, service providers, research institutions and livestock representatives.
