By Brenda Kayo:
Smallholder farmers have been urged to adopt a business mindset to contribute towards the sector’s revitalisation.
Team Leader for Commercial Agriculture for Smallholder and Agribusiness (Casa) Steven Morris said this at the closing ceremony of the Casa programme on Tuesday in Lilongwe.
Morris said it is time for farmers to move away from subsistence farming and focus on “farming for profit”.
The six-year Casa programme, which ended on Tuesday, has reached out to over 84,000 smallholder farmers across the country providing them with skills and knowledge to venture into agribusiness.
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“Farming solely for consumption is a thing of the past. We want to see farmers focusing on producing high-quality products for the market and in doing so it increases their income and improves their livelihoods,” Morris said.
Director of Animal Health and Livestock Development in the Ministry of Health Julius Chulu urged farmers who have been trained through the Casa programme to put their new skills into practice.
“The knowledge and skills gained from this programme should not go to waste. We expect to see tangible results from the farmers who have been trained and we are confident that they will make a positive impact in the agricultural sector.” Chulu said.
The Casa programme, funded by the British government, has been empowering smallholder farmers in Malawi by providing them with the necessary tools and expertise to transition into commercial farming.
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Through this initiative, smallholder farmers have established 20 livelihood and poultry farming enterprises in the country.
