Tag Archives: Ministry of Agriculture

Agriculture, AMA

Guinea Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform Agri-Food Systems, Strengthen Food Security, and Create Jobs

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Washington, USA, 04 May 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Guinea, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the Guinea AgriConnect Compact. This integrated strategic framework aims to accelerate sustainable transformation of agrifood systems, strengthen food and nutrition security, create decent jobs, and position agriculture as a key driver of inclusive growth and industrialization.

The initiative is aligned with the 2040 Simandou Agenda, specifically its Pillar 1, which identifies agriculture and livestock as key drivers for economic diversification, export development, and job creation. It is based on a strengthened and complementary coordination approach involving the Government, the World Bank Group through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector, and producer organizations.

The compact aligns three priorities: rural infrastructure, public reforms and investments, and mobilizing private finance around shared goals for agricultural transformation, job creation, and food security.

“AgriConnect enables a better coordination of the World Bank Group’s instruments – IDA, IFC and MIGA – to support Guinea in a profound transformation of its agriculture,” said Issa Mare Diaw, World Bank Group Resident Representative for Guinea. “By combining reforms, public investment, and private sector engagement, we aim to help build more productive, resilient, and inclusive agri-food systems that can deliver food security while creating jobs.”

Priority value chains identified include rice and poultry – to strengthen food security and reduce reliance on imports – complemented by maize and soybeans as strategic inputs. The compact also supports high-potential diversification and export value chains, including fonio and mangoes.

“With the AgriConnect Compact, Guinea is taking a decisive step forward in positioning agriculture as a central pillar of economic transformation, directly linked to the opportunities offered by the Simandou corridor,” said Aminata Kaba, Minister of Agriculture. “Our ambition is to ensure long-term food security, create decent jobs for youth and women, and promote competitive, resilient and market-oriented agriculture.”

“The livestock sector occupies a strategic place in our food security and import substitution policy, particularly for the poultry sector,” said Félix Lamah, Minister of Livestock. “The AgriConnect Compact will build the capacity of producers, improve access to essential inputs such as maize and soybeans, and develop more efficient and inclusive livestock value chains.”

By 2030, the AgriConnect Guinea Compact aims in particular to contribute to: (i) a significant improvement in food and nutrition security, (ii) the creation of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the agricultural and agri-food value chains, particularly for young people and women, (iii) the reduction of dependence on imports of staple foods, particularly rice and poultry products, and (iv) the valorization of the export potential of products such as fonio and mangoes.

“The AgriConnect Compact is fully in line with our ambition to build a more resilient, inclusive and prosperous Guinea,” said Mariama Ciré Sylla, Minister of Economy, Finance and Budget. “It reflects our desire to make agriculture and livestock farming real levers for transformation, job creation and economic sovereignty, in line with the Simandou 2040 Program and our national economic diversification agenda.”

AgriConnect is a World Bank Group initiative to help 300 million smallholder farmers around the world to better valorize their crops to increase their incomes by 2030. It is supported by partners such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Bayer, and Google.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts
In Conakry for the World Bank:
Zubah Beavogui,
+224 625259536
zbeavogui@worldbankgroup.org

For the Ministry of Agriculture:
Kadiatou Bah,
+224 628462692
attachee.cabinet@agriculture.gov.gn

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AMA, Business

Africa’s Creative Heavyweights Unite to Shape a Stronger Global Story of the Continent

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Opportunity Africa launches pan-African Creative Council backed by leading communications, media and brand leaders

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, 26 March 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – In line with Agenda 2063, the Opportunity Africa initiative has launched its Creative Council, bringing together Africa’s leading communications, media and marketing leaders to advance a narrative that contributes to building The Africa We Want.

It is a pan-African platform and movement designed to shift how the world sees Africa and how Africa sees itself, by amplifying the people, stories and institutions already shifting perceptions. It is a shared platform that brands, institutions and storytellers can align around to communicate a stronger, more unified story of Africa.

At a time when the global order is shifting and competition for capital, influence and attention is intensifying, perception matters as much as facts. For Africa, image is no longer a soft issue. It is a strategic one. The Creative Council has been established to help ensure Africa is defined by those building it.

The Council brings together senior leaders who have shaped narratives at national, regional and global levels. Their role is to guide the creative direction of the initiative, connect it to their continent-wide networks and ensure the initiative remains credible, relevant and culturally resonant across markets.

“This is exactly the kind of collaboration Africa needs to shape a narrative that reflects our aspirations under Agenda 2063 and builds The Africa We Want. In line with the mandate of the African Union Commission’s Information and Communication Directorate, this work will strengthen how we communicate the Union’s priorities and amplifies Africa’s voice. We encourage more partners to join this growing movement.” Faith Adhiambo, Communication Officer, Agenda 2063 African Union.

“It is a privilege for Africa No Filter to serve as secretariat and help steward this forward. It is unprecedented to see this level of expertise and collaboration coming together to build the narrative infrastructure Africa needs to reframe the continent,” said Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter and co-chair of the Council.

Initial members of the Creative Council include senior leaders from TRACE, Africa Practice, the African Union, Brand South Africa, IC Publications, Alpha Media Holdings, X3M Ideas and other leading institutions across the continent.

View the campaign video here.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Africa No Filter

About Opportunity Africa
Opportunity Africa is a pan-African movement working to reframe Africa as a continent of opportunity, progress, innovation and creativity. Convened by Africa No Filter, Brand Africa and partners including the African Union, it brings together brands, institutions, storytellers and communities to build collective momentum behind a more confident and opportunity-led story of Africa. www.opportunityafrica.africa

About Africa No Filter
Africa No Filter is an advocacy organisation working to shift stereotypical narratives about Africa and support a more balanced, dynamic and accurate understanding of the continent. Through community building and advocacy, it supports storytellers to tell richer, more nuanced stories that reflect Africa’s progress, agency and potential. Africa No Filter is a donor collaborative funded by Ford Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Luminate, Hilton Foundation and Hewlett Foundation. www.africanofilter.org

Members of the Creative Council
Addis Alemayehou – Chairperson, Kazana Group; Co-founder and CRO, Dodai
Adebola Williams – Co-founder, RED | For Africa
Leslie Richer, Director, Information and Communication African Union
Faith Adhiambo – Communications Officer, Agenda 2063
Fareed Khimani – Communications Adviser, Office of the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Kenya.
Gina Din-Kariuki – Founder and Executive Chair, The Gina Din Group
Kwame Senou – Founder, The Holding Opinion (THOP)
Malik Shaffy Lizende – Founder, 63 Inc
Moky Makura – Executive Director, Africa No Filter
Omar Ben Yedder – Group Publisher and Managing Director, IC Publications
Richard Kiplagat – Senior Stakeholder Relations Adviser, Africa Practice
Samuel Onyemelukwe – Group Business Development Director, TRACE
Sophie Masipa – CEO and Brand Strategist
Steve Babaeko – Founder, X3M Ideas
Terhas Berhe – Founder and Managing Director, BrandComms
Thebe Ikalafeng – Founder Brand Africa
Thoko Modise – General Manager: Communications, Brand South Africa
Tim Ekandjo – Branding, Marketing, Communications and Sustainability Officer, MTC Namibia
Tola St. Matthew-Daniel – Founder, Kairos & Tola
Tosin Adefeko – Founder and CEO, AT3 Resources
Trevor Ncube – Founder and Chairperson, Alpha Media Holdings

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Agriculture, AMA

Senegal Launches AgriConnect Compact to Transform its Agriculture Sector

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Washington, USA, 11 February 2026 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Government of Senegal, in partnership with the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the AgriConnect Senegal Compact. This strategic initiative aims to transform the country’s agri-food systems and improve food security for millions of Senegalese.

Aligned with the Senegal National Agenda for Transformation 2050 and the Food Sovereignty Strategy (SSA 2025-2034), the AgriConnect Pact is a harmonized implementation mechanism mobilizing the Government of Senegal and the World Bank Group – through the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) – as well as technical and financial partners, the private sector and producer organizations.

The initiative focuses on three priority value chains: grains, horticulture, and livestock. It is based on three axes: (i) making structural investments in agricultural infrastructure and services; (ii) revising sectoral policies to improve the business environment; and (iii) encouraging more private investment to spur innovation and competitiveness.

By 2029, the AgriConnect Compact aims to achieve more than 90% food security at the national level and create 800,000 formal jobs in the agricultural sector. Among the objectives set are an increase in the cereal coverage rate from 48% to 78%, rice self-sufficiency to 64%, and the establishment of 100 community-based agricultural cooperatives across the country.

In addition to its strategic orientation, this ambition represents a significant shift in the design, coordination, and implementation of national agricultural and food policies.

“AgriConnect is a model platform for structuring a pipeline of projects related to the National Transformation Agenda. Thanks to sector program contracts that involve all stakeholders, it aims to achieve the expected impacts of the Senegal Vision 2050, which is sovereign, just and prosperous,” said Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo, Minister of State to the President of the Republic, in charge of monitoring, steering and evaluating the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation. “This platform embodies the strategic coherence sought in the structuring of sectors, engines of sustainable growth. The highest government authorities attach particular importance to results-based management during the implementation of these multisectoral programs. Thus, it is expected that the stakeholders in this initiative will aim for operational efficiency to improve the well-being of the population.”

The partnership is part of a national dynamic, which places food sovereignty at the heart of the country’s transformation agenda.

“The AgriConnect Pact aims to concretely transform the lives of our populations,” said Mabouba Diagne, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. “These are families that will be able to better feed their children, farmers who will see their incomes increase and stabilize, young people who will find jobs and a future in modern and profitable agriculture. This direct improvement in living conditions, both in our countryside and in our cities, will guide our implementation with the World Bank Group, our partners, and the private sector.”

The World Bank Group is committed to supporting Senegal in translating its goals into lasting impacts for its people.

“What drives us in AgriConnect is the belief that Senegalese agriculture can feed Senegal, create opportunities for its youth, and become an engine of shared prosperity,” said Ousmane Diagana, World Bank Vice President for Western and Central Africa. “Through the coordinated action of IDA, IFC and MIGA, we want to catalyze a dynamic where public and private investment converge towards a single objective: to make food sovereignty and jobs a tangible and lasting reality for every Senegalese.”

The governance of the Pact is ensured by the Minister of State, responsible for monitoring the Senegal 2050 National Agenda for Transformation, with operational implementation entrusted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock via its ” Delivery Unit “. A joint steering committee will be established for planning, coordination and monitoring with the support of the Technical Group of Partners (GTP).

The Compact was developed in consultation with the following technical and financial partners: the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP), the French Development Agency (AFD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Kingdom of the Netherlands, MasterCard Foundation and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Bank Group.

Contacts
At the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock of Senegal:
Penda Mbow,
(221) 77 274 52 37
mbowpendarts@gmail.com

At the World Bank Group in Dakar:
Seydina Alioune Djigo,
+221 77 442 66 70
sdjigo@worldbankgroup.org

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AMA

KOICA strengthens WFP’s efforts to prevent malnutrition in Ethiopia

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ROME, Italy, 29 January 2026-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of USD5.5 million from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to help prevent malnutrition among pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children in Ethiopia by improving access to nutritious foods, strengthening local food systems, and building community resilience.

The contribution was announced during a ceremony in Addis Ababa on December 16, 2025, where Dr. Dereje Dugma, State Minister of Health, emphasized how the initiative aligns with government efforts to improve nutrition and resilience for food insecure families.

“WFP is grateful to KOICA for this strategic investment, delivered in partnership with the Ministry of Health. This is critical to advance Ethiopia’s food and nutrition security and human capital outcomes.” said Zlatan Milišić, WFP’s Country Director in Ethiopia. “This will deliver a triple impact: improved nutrition for vulnerable families, stronger local food systems, and greater household resilience through better access to diverse diets and best agricultural practices.”

The contribution enables WFP to diversify diets and improve nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children by providing food vouchers to 5,000 families, allowing them to buy nutritious fresh foods like eggs, fruits and vegetables. WFP will also strengthen local food systems and build community resilience by providing thousands of food insecure families with agricultural inputs like machines and seeds, connecting them to key agricultural services such as animal health, and training health workers, agricultural agents and market retailers in best agricultural practices.

“This new contribution from KOICA reaffirms the Republic of Korea’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s efforts to improve nutrition and resilience, particularly for women, children, and vulnerable households,” said Mr. Taeyoung Kim, KOICA’s country director in Ethiopia. “Sustainable progress in nutrition, health and food systems will be achieved through strong ownership, long-term investment and coordinated multi-sector actions, along with the long-standing multilateral partnership.”

The contribution will be implemented in six woredas across Afar, Sidama and Central Ethiopia regions under the Seqota Declaration, one of Ethiopia’s flagship initiatives to end child undernutrition by 2030.

Malnutrition is a general term that covers both undernutrition and obesity. Undernutrition – which includes conditions like wasting (low weight-for-height), stunting (low height-for-age) and underweight (low weight-for-age) – is a public health and development challenge in Ethiopia. Poor dietary diversity and limited access to nutritious foods contribute significantly to undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, especially among women of reproductive age and children under five years of age.

“The Ministry of Health provides unwavering support to this important initiative to advance our national nutrition agenda and strengthen resilience in vulnerable communities under the Seqota Declaration,” said Dr. Dugma.

The Republic of Korea has been a major contributor to WFP, providing USD70 million through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to support humanitarian and development responses in Ethiopia since 2021.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Word Food Programme

About World Food Programme
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media @wfp_ethiopia @wfp_africa

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AMA

Gates Foundation Announces New Commitment for Smallholder Farmers on the Frontlines of Extreme Weather

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$1.4B investment expands access to evidence-backed tools to help farmers in some of the world’s poorest regions adapt and build more resilience to droughts, floods, heat waves

BELÉM, Brazil, 7 November 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/-The Gates Foundation today announced a new commitment to advancing climate adaptation, helping smallholder farmers build resilience to a warming world and protect hard-won gains against poverty.

Announced at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where leaders are emphasizing locally driven adaptation, the four-year, $1.4 billion investment will expand access to innovations that help farmers across sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia adapt to extreme weather. In these regions, where food security and livelihoods depend on agriculture, smallholder farmers and the communities they feed are among the most exposed to droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. Yet less than 1% of global climate finance targets the growing threats to these vital food systems.

“Smallholder farmers are feeding their communities under the toughest conditions imaginable,” said Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation. “We’re supporting their ingenuity with the tools and resources to help them thrive—because investing in their resilience is one of the smartest, most impactful things we can do for people and the planet.”

The commitment supports Bill Gates’ vision, outlined in his recent COP30 memo, of prioritizing climate investments for maximum human impact and advances the foundation’s goal of lifting millions of people out of poverty by 2045.

Addressing a global funding gap

Farmers in low-income countries produce one-third of the world’s food but face mounting climate threats. Without greater adaptation investment, these shocks will continue to drive food insecurity and reverse hard-won gains against poverty. 

World Bank research shows that targeted adaptation investments could boost GDP, particularly in small island and developing states, by up to 15 percentage points by 2050. The World Resources Institute estimates that every dollar invested in climate adaptation will yield more than $10 in social and economic benefits within a decade. 

“Climate adaptation is not just a development issue—it’s an economic and moral imperative,” said Mark Suzman, CEO of the Gates Foundation. “This new commitment builds on our support for farmers in Africa and South Asia who are already innovating to withstand extreme weather. But they can’t do it alone—governments and the private sector must work together to prioritize adaptation alongside mitigation.”

Scaling farmer-led innovation

While climate shocks continue to intensify, the financing needed to help farmers adapt to them is not keeping up. According to the 2025 UN State of Food Security and Nutrition report, Africa was the only region where hunger and malnutrition increased this year. Without urgent adaptation, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that agricultural productivity in parts of Africa could drop by up to 20% by 2050.

The foundation’s new investment will scale farmer-led, evidence-backed innovations that strengthen rural livelihoods and food systems amid growing climate threats. It will expand technologies and approaches already showing results, including:

  • Digital advisory services: Mobile apps, SMS, and other platforms that deliver timely, tailored information to help farmers make informed planting decisions and manage risk, including support for the AIM for Scale initiative, which aims to reach 100 million farmers across Africa, Asia, and Latin America by 2030 
  • Climate-resilient crops and livestock: Varieties that withstand drought, heat, and emerging pests while improving yields and nutrition 
  • Soil health innovations: Approaches that restore degraded land, enhance productivity, and reduce emissions—supported by a $30 million partnership with the Novo Nordisk Foundation to advance soil science research

Partnerships driving global impact

The new commitment builds on partnerships that were expanded or launched through the foundation’s COP27 pledges and are already reaching millions of farmers. Examples include: 

  • AIM for Scale: Launched in 2023, this global partnership delivered AI-powered SMS weather forecasts to nearly 40 million farmers across 13 Indian states during the 2025 monsoon season, helping protect millions of acres of crops. 
  • TomorrowNow and KALRO: Together with the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), TomorrowNow is providing hyper-local weather alerts to more than 5 million Kenyan farmers, improving yields and reducing crop losses, with expansion underway in Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. 

The Gates Foundation is working alongside local researchers, governments, and private sector partners to scale such efforts—strengthening rural economies and food systems for the long term.

Collaboration at COP30

This investment reflects a shared global commitment—led by African leaders and Brazil’s COP30 presidency—to put food, livelihoods, and health at the center of resilience planning. Brazil’s own experience linking social programs with sustainable agricultural innovation shows how inclusive adaptation can drive equitable growth.

Together with Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Embrapa, AGRA, AIM for Scale, CGIAR, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), and the United Arab Emirates, the foundation will co-host the Agricultural Innovation Showcase at COP30. Both a high level event on November 10 and a physical exhibition, the showcase will highlight affordable, climate-smart solutions designed for and, in many cases, by farmers. More information is available here: https://www.embrapa.br/en/cop30/agrizone

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Gates Foundation.

About Gates Foundation

Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, we work with partners to create impactful solutions so that people can take charge of their futures and achieve their full potential. In the United States, we aim to ensure that everyone—especially those with the fewest resources—has access to the opportunities needed to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Mark Suzman, under the direction of Bill Gates and our governing board.

Media Contact:

Gates media team

media@gatesfoundation.org

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Agriculture

Malawi Govt nods to Paramount Holdings’ Eagle Nano Urea Fertilizer: Agriculture Minister Kawale set for launch

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LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Government through ministry of agriculture has certified Paramount Holdings Limited’s Eagle Nano Urea Fertilizer for distribution.

Consequently, Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale is expected to officially launch the product on Friday, August 29 2025.

India Ray Nano research center produces the product.

The launch will take place at the National Agriculture Fair (NAF) in Blantyre with financial support from Paramount Holdings Limited.

According to research, Eagle Nano Urea is an innovation that is set to transform farming, enhance productivity, and empower farmers across Malawi.

What is Nano Urea?

Nano Urea is a liquid fertilizer developed using nanotechnology – a process that breaks nutrients down into nano-sized particles, allowing plants to absorb them more efficiently. Compared to conventional granular urea, Nano Urea:

Requires significantly lower quantities per application,
Reduces nitrogen loss in the soil,
Enhances nutrient absorption, and Promotes eco-friendly, sustainable farming.

Eagle Nano Urea, produced by Paramount Holdings, is proudly Malawian and specifically tailored for local soil conditions and crops.

One of the highlights of the day was the visit by the Honourable Minister of Agriculture to the Paramount Holdings exhibition booth.

Impressed by the product’s remarkable results in field trials, the Minister praised Eagle Nano Urea for its contribution to soil health, crop yields, and farmer profitability.

“This is exactly the kind of innovation we need to drive the MW2063 agenda. It’s smart, sustainable, and delivering real results for our farmers,” he said.

Eagle Nano Urea demonstration plot Demonstration plots surrounding the Eagle Nano Urea booth told a compelling story—lush green crops, healthy foliage, and uniform growth.

According to the company’s agronomists, farmers using the product are reporting: ✅ Up to 30–40% increase in crop yields
✅ Lower costs due to reduced transport and application needs
✅ Simpler usage and faster plant response
✅ Improved environmental outcomes due to reduced chemical runoff

What’s the future of farming is Nano for Malawian farmer?

Paramount Holdings has made a bold commitment: to lead Malawi into a new era of farming defined by science, sustainability, and self-reliance. Eagle Nano Urea isn’t just a product; it’s a movement towards transforming agriculture at the grassroots.

“We invite all farmers, cooperatives, agri-entrepreneurs, and development partners to join us in revolutionizing agriculture in Malawi,” a company representative stated. “The future is green, the future is smart, and the future is Nano.”

“Our dream as paramount holdings to put a manufacturing plant of Eagle Nano Urea and other fertilizer in Malawi,” reads part of the statement by the company.

Agriculture, corruption, Law and order, Malawi, Top News

58 arrested in FISP scam

Special Absalom

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Joseph Mwanamvekha said 58 people have been arrested on allegations of fraud in 2017/18 Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP).

Mwanamveka disclosed this in Parliament on Tuesday Member of Parliament (MP) for Machinga East, Esther Jolobala asked government why there are more FISP coupons than allocated tonnage of inputs in most districts.

Jolobala also asked Minister of Agriculture to explain why suppliers are buying the coupons from farmers

In his response, Mwanamvekha said law enforcers have moved in to arrest about 58 people who were either using fake or recycled coupons.

“We have security personnel in all our selling points,” he said, warning anyone that will be bringing fake and recycled coupons that they will be “caught and dealt with.”
Mwanamvekha said the arrested people will face over 20 charges.

Mwanamveka then warned the suppliers against buying coupons from the farmers, saying companies involved in the malpractice will be banned from supplying inputs for the programme

However, he said the program has been a success and that all beneficiaries would access the inputs by December 15, which is the last selling date.

In the 2017/18 Fisp program, government is subsidizing NPK and Urea fertilisers per 50 kilogramme (kg) bag for K15 000 and 5kg maize seed for K6000, 2kg sorghum for K6 000 and 2 kg legume seed for K2 050.

The program has been marred by some unscrupulous traders selling substandard inputs to farmers and other circulating fake coupons.

Law and order

Why should we have this office in the first place?

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

The Office of the Ombudsman has expressed concern over high rate of non-compliance to its determinations by most ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), saying the situation is undermining the relevance of the office.

The Ombudsman Martha Chizuma Mwangonde made the remarks at parliament building in Lilongwe Tuesday.

“This office is really challenged with lots of non-compliance [to its determinations] from most MDAs in the country. This is infringing on the rights of many Malawians who rely on this office for assistance.
“If we don’t comply, why should we have this office in the first place?” queried Mwangonde.

According to the Ombudsman, ADMARC, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) and the Malawi Police Service (MPS) are among the few institutions which complied to determinations the office made to the institutions.

“The State House, Attorney General, Malawi Defense Force, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Health, Forestry Department, Ministry of Transport and Public Works, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development were some of the MDAs with very high rate of non-compliance,” she said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the function, Ombudsman Public Relations Officer, Arthur Semba revealed that so far there are 306 cases to which different institutions have not complied.

“We had 13 determinations in 2016, 29 cases in 2017 issued under the current Ombudsman and 264 for the former Ombudsmen piling as non-complied determinations, which is a very big figure so far.

“That notwithstanding, the Ombudsman has also 112 cases under ordinary investigations but MDAs have been slow in remedying the various malaise occasioned,” Semba stated.

Lilongwe North East Member of Parliament who is also Chairperson for the Parliamentary Legal Committee, Maxon Thyolera, vowed to corner all organizations not complying.

“We will use the power vested in us to reverse the vice by taking them to task. People must be served with justice by honouring the determinations,” Thyolera said.

The office of the Ombudsman is legally mandated to inquire into any alleged instance or matter of abuse of any power or unfair treatment of any person by an official in the employment of any organ of government.

In addition, the office is mandated to manifest injustice or conduct by such official who would properly be regarded as oppressive or unfair in an open democratic society.

Malawi

Malawi’s food crisis rages on even after good rains: to harvest 3m tons against 3.2 m, according to Fewsnet 

Maravi Post correspondent

Maize not enough to feed all Malawians

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- The country is still having the daunting task of averting a food crisis. There are fresh reports that this year’s total harvest hovers around 3 million metric tons against the required 3.2 million.

In its latest food harvest projection report, Early Warning System Network (Fewsnet) highlights that the national food production, is expected to be more average than the anticipated for bumper yields.
The report released this week and titled, “Food security outlook for Southern Africa”, Fewsnet observes that although there is a slight increase from last year’s 2.3 million metric tons of maize, the currently situation is contrary to what was anticipated.
The network says the average production was attributed to Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP)’ flop, and the sporadic dry spells in the southern region of the country.
Fewsnet therefore projects a reduction in cash crops, including tobacco, due to reduced farm area coupled with two consecutive seasons of poor prices on the market; drought is also a factor to poor crop yields.
This will eventually lead to decrease in incomes at the microeconomic and household levels this season. despite the good rains.
The network therefore, predicts continued food stress for households in the Lower Shire districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, as they have not fully recovered from the impact of two consecutive years of drought and floods leading to a reduction in cotton production.
“Lack of inputs led to a high number of farmers using recycled seeds and registering lower fertilizer use, as well as fields in localized areas suffering from pests attack,” the Fewsnet’ forecast reads.
“Reductions in incomes from cash crops are expected this season due to a decline in the area planted by farmers. Many farmers significantly reduced the area planted for tobacco and cotton because of consecutive poor marketing years for these crops as well as losses incurred from two consecutive years of drought,” the report forecasts.
Ministry of Agriculture’s Production Estimates Survey for 2016/2017, disclosed that the country would realize a 35.9 percent maize production increase and a 36.6% decrease in tobacco production.