By: Lloyd M’bwana
The country’s Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI), a sole facilitator for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to access finance, information and markets has emphasized the need for the sector working closely with the Malawi media in a bid to expand business opportunities.
The observation comes as SMEs recent survey revealed that the sector has employed over one million people in the country since 2012 which needs much publicity for the upcoming entrepreneurs to break horizons of business opportunities including roads, building constructions, energy, automobile, electronic, distribution and suppliers sectors among others.
Addressing the new conference in the capital Lilongwe, Charles Kazembe, SMEDI’s Chief Executive Director hinted that SMEs play a vital role in eradicating rural and urban poverty through provision of self-employment hence need much support from various media houses in the country for the sector’ growth.
Kazembe observed that the country’s SMEs have been losing great business opportunities due to lack of information therefore engaging the media this time will provide a better forum for them to exile in business ventures.
“SMEs are integral part of the country’s economic growth through wealth and job creations as two thirds of the people that are employed derive from SMEs not big organization. If the nation wants its citizen to participate in the economic, therefore, running small businesses is the way to go.
“Malawi needs fertilizer which is imported from outside the country. You mean our graduates can’t come up with a workable formula of producing local fertilizer? There are great opportunities for SMEs to exile in various ventures including distribution, suppliers, agroforestry, import and export, production, value addition services among others.
“Thus, the media have the capacity and ability to inform and educate the public is very crucial in the promotion of development and growth of Macro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as together we can create a vibrant MSME sector in Malawi.
“In this partnership, the media should always speak on behave of SMEs by asking those in authority on what role the sector can play in various projects including repairing of governments vehicles, roads and building constructions, energy (Millennium Challenge of Account), airport development, driving examination and trade testing”, elaborates Kazembe.
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI) is a parastatal organization under the Ministry of Industry and Trade and registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act (Cap 5:3) of the laws of Malawi after government merged operations of SEDOM, DEMAT and MED forming one body in 2013 aimed at promoting of the sustainable growth of SMEs in the country through four major department services including business training coordination, information, planning and research, and finance and administration.