Malawi’s economic growth still derives from agriculture production since independence through tangible infrastructure development which the founder and father of the nation, Dr Hasting Kamuzu Banda put across the nation.
With 51 year Malawi ruling itself, agriculture production is failing to tick in a bid to enhance the country’s economic fortunes due to collapsing of the entire agricultural system after attaining multiparty democracy in 1994.
Since 1994, all agriculture systems which Dr. Kamuzu Banda put in place in helping the country to grow economically through agriculture production were disrupted by leaders Malawi have had favouring economic liberalization without cautioning its shocks on Malawian farmers.
Therefore, Malawi needed an insightful not wishful thinking leader who could put measures against liberalization of economy championed by World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) by maintaining what Dr. Banda established.
The Maravi Post’s reporter, Lloyd M’bwana caught up with FELIX JUMBE, The Chairperson-Agriculture and Irrigation Committee, Malawi Congress Party (MCP)’s Member of Parliament (MP) for Salima Central Constituency, a farmer and Marketer as take us through on agriculture system in Malawi, where did the nation go wrong in 1994 and the way forward.
1. Briefly, can you take us through the entire agriculture system which were put in place to trick down Malawi economic growth for the past 51 years of independence?
Let me emphasize here that Malawi’s economic fortunes bank on agriculture therefore any meaningful government will dwell on this. Malawi is favoured with productive natural resources including soils, water and moderate climate conditions which necessitate agriculture production be it crop or animal husbandry.
Productive natural resources are supported with labour which now still remains unskillful. However, around 1960s till 1980s, Dr Banda put infrastructures to support agriculture production for marketing, research, irrigation and extension services.
For instance, Agricultural Development Division (Salima, Lilongwe, Kasungu, Machinga, Blantyre, Mzuzu, Karonga ADDs), Irrigation schemes (Bwanje, Limphasa), research stations (Chitedze, Mvumbwe), academic extension institutions (Natural Resources College), daily farm (Daily boards), market (ADMARC), financial institutions (Malawi Rural Finance) were instituted to help farmers getting better agriculture services to produce more for commercial and consumption which helped our economy to be stable. But all these structures were disrupted UN insightfully to favour liberalization.
2. Where did the nation go wrong after attaining multiparty in 1994 as we fail to maintain already existed agricultural structures?
After the establishment of agricultural system infrastructures and organised land into proper use between 1960s and 1980s, the whole structure was disrupted by a number of factors which till now the country is suffering from such mistakes made after multiparty in 1994 including lack of insightful leadership who advocated for business as an idea for economic growth ignoring agriculture. I remember former President Bakili Muluzi after took over leadership from Dr.Kamuzu Banda in his national addresses he repeatedly saying, “Lets do business not farming to prosper”.
Such UN insightful direction from the head of state misled the whole nation as farmers diverted their attention on good farming practices into new phenomenon of business which included running buses, Kaunjika, car selling among others. The leadership of that time forget that tangible Malawi’s business derives from agriculture production.
Secondly, IMF/World Bank’s Adjustment Programs which was advocated to Malawi took advantage of the poor leadership at that time without questioning and putting caution to shocks which came after capitalism type of running government affairs. This was necessitated by economic liberalization which gave the private sector a lee way to take control of economy with profit making in mind. This led to privatization of state owned companies to individuals and companies whose impact was disrupting the whole agricultural system infrastructures. We witnessed privatization of public farm estate, irrigation schemes, daily farms, developmental banks which helped farmers in producing quality agricultural produces which cautioned hunger and poverty among Malawians.
Thirdly, after the Muluzi era adopted economic liberalization, the leadership lacked the zeal to put measures in addressing challenge coming forthwith such as practical policies, legislations and regulating bodies on agriculture systems. For instance, till now, Malawi don’t have a national body which regulates agricultural produces apart from Tobacco Control Commission (TCC) which only looks into the welfare of one crop leaving the rest of crops shrinking and unchecked. That’s why tobacco isn’t enough to bring the much needed forex to enhance Malawi’s economic grow as it remains standing alone crop without support.
3. Although, agriculture systems were collapsed as you put it, but we saw government coming up with Green Belt initiative, Shire Zambezi Water, Starter Packs which later was graduated into Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP), don’t you see these initiatives are meant to revamp agriculture in Malawi?
Of course, all these programs are there to turn around things for the better on agriculture production but won’t do anything without proper structures in place. We need to have an insightful leader not a visional leader. An insightful leader will get into the bottom of all what’s best for Malawi by taking into account agriculture as an integral part of the nation’s economic growth. Colourful dreams should be put into reality not wishful thinking as we have had in the past till now. Malawi needs practical agricultural policies and legislations which will give direction in rejuvenating agricultural systems. The leadership of this country must review all IMF/World Bank policies by picking only those measures applied to the nation’s economic environment because a policy which work in USA can’t tick in Malawi. Unfortunately, the country is just taking on what these international financial institutions dictate us to do without questioning their wisdom behind all these so called fiscal bail out measures which have contributed to our poverty.
4.Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP) has been controversial since inception in 2005 marred with corruption, fraud but your party, Malawi Congress Party (MCP) has been advocating for universal subsidy, what difference will it (Universal Subsidy) going to bring on Malawian farmers?
As explained earlier, the initiative’s intensions are good however the problem rises with management. Actually, FISP was introduced into Parliament by MCP former President, John Tembo who opted for universal subsidy not target vulnerable families only. Universal subsidy notation was misunderstood by many till today. It’s understood that universal subsidy will be 100 percent to everyone which is impossible to implement, the idea is to have targeted smallholder farmers who are in cooperatives and clubs given farm inputs to produce more like in Dr.Kamuzu era. But now, the inputs are given to people who don’t value of agriculture as a catalyst to the country’s economy. That’s why it ends up in hands of commercial farmers and characterized by fraud and corruption. This is where we are getting wrong. If the original design of farm inputs won’t be considered forget about food security in this country.
5. After we messed up with agriculture system while attaining multiparty in 1994, do you see Malawi retaining its ground back to commercial and consumptive agricultural production nation which will facilitate economic growth?
Yes, its possible but only with Malawi Congress Party (MCP) leadership because the party instituted all agricultural structures to uptake what farmers were producing while the crop of leaders the national have had failed to understand the whole concept of intensifying agriculture in a meaningful way by engaging farmers.
MCP knows the foundation and formation of agriculture systems in the country while other parties get the surface part of it. This is the reasons after trying these current initiatives; Green Belt, FISP nothing tangible is ticking to rejuvenate economic prowls through agriculture. Once MCP come power today, it will only take three years to bring back the lost glory, zeal by taking on board farmers in any decision on their productions.
6. What the way forward for this nation on agriculture?
Malawi is in a leadership crisis as we have lost direction to the Promised Land through tangible agriculture setups. The country needs an insightful leader who will be able to manage the economy by reducing inflation, interest rates which facilitate fiscal fortunes leading to poverty eradication.
