Parliament lobbies for funding to Smedi
By Emmanuel Simpokolwe:
The Committee of Parliament on Industry Trade and Tourism said it will lobby for additional funding to the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (Smedi) to help its operations.
Committee Chairperson, Simplex Banda, said this on Saturday when the committee toured Smedi Enterprise Development Centre Campus in Mponela.
Banda said it was high time Treasury found a way of funding Smedi, which he said could contribute towards transforming the economy.
“One of the reasons that initiated this visit is to appreciate some of the challenges the organisation is facing and how we can help.
The committee toured the institution’s business incubation centre constructed with funding from the Indian Government.
At the centre, Smedi is processing stones into gem and jewellery, processing agriculture products among other things.
Smedi Chief Executive Officer, Rodrick Chatayika said there is need to plant similar equipments at other strategic points across the country to benefit farmers.
“The country can develop if we can plant some of the processing machines in strategic places,” Chatayika said.
Smedi is a public institution established by the government under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism to champion development of micro, small and medium enterprises in Malawi.
It offers entrepreneurship and business management trainings to Small and Medium entrepreneurs and linking them to markets and financiers among other stakeholders.
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