Teen Missions Malawi urges profitable market access

Malawi-Teen Missions Malawi is urging the government and other stakeholders to support smallholder farmers, particularly women and youths, to access profitable and inclusive agricultural markets, writes Alinafe Nyanda.

This initiative aims to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers in the production of marketable and profitable agricultural commodities in the country, thereby promoting economic empowerment and livelihood resilience.

Speaking during a media tour at the organization's headquarters in Chipoka, Salima, Micius Tsukani, the country coordinator of Teen Missions Malawi, emphasized that this development can help farmers transform from subsistence to commercial farming in line with the government's long-term development strategy, Malawi 2063.

"As a ministry involved in agriculture, we will continue to advocate and play a watchdog role to demand improvement in policies related to smallholder farmers' access to agriculture," said Tsukani.

Agriculture expert Felix Jumbe described access to profitable and inclusive agricultural markets as a vital tool towards the implementation and promotion of agribusiness among smallholder farmers.

The government has already announced plans to resolve the challenge and improve access to profitable and predictable markets for smallholder farmers in the country.