By Watipaso Mzungu
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The country’s social monitoring body, Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) this week asked the government to consider removing political influence on the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) for the institution to improve its performance and benefit smallholder farmers.
CfSC, a faith-based organisation working to transform the unjust structures through research and advocacy says it is high time Admarc started working to benefit all Malawians and not serving ‘political zealots’.
The Centre’s Executive Director, Father David Ngahy made the remarks in Lilongwe on Friday during a presentation on the role Admarc can play in advancing the right to food and poverty alleviation for Malawians.
Ngahy expressed disappointment that, over the past two and half decades, influential politicians and a few politically-connected business people have held the institution at ransom.
“Admarc must be run by professionals. Politicians should not be involved in Admarc using it as a tool to siphon money from people. Admarc must stand for the benefit of all Malawians, and not few political zealots,” Ngahy said.
A local agriculture expert, Tamani Nkhono Mvula, said there is a need for Admarc to develop a marketing strategy that can help in operationalising the National Agriculture Investment Plan and consolidating collaboration among players in the agriculture sector.
However, Mvula stated that Admarc can only be depoliticized if the government reduces ownership base.
“As long as the government maintains 99 percent of shareholding in Admarc, then we still have a big problem,” Mvula said.
