Fedia Banda of Seza 3 Village in the area of Traditional Authority Njewa in Lilongwe has called on leaders and politicians in particular to make sure that they establish ready markers for small holder farmers once voted into power on May 20.
Narrating her story, Banda said her daughter who was selected to study at Natural Resources College last year failed to do so due to lack of school fees despite having a lot of farm produce she realized during the last year’s growing season.
“I had a lot of produce like Soya beans and groundnuts which I could have sold and realize some money for my daughter’s school fees but failed because there was no ready markets .My daughter is currently at home and this is the only reason I am calling on our leaders gathered today to ensure that they do something once voted as parliamentarians for our respective constituencies, “said a 42 year old Banda.
It is against this background that over 40 Parliamentary Aspirants from Lilongwe district have committed to ensuring agricultural markets for small holders farmers when elected as Members of Parliament during May 20’s Tripartite election.
The Parliamentarians mainly drawn from Malawi’s four major Political parties namely Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Malawi Congress Party (MCP) and People’s Party (PP) pleaded to improve the wellbeing of the farmers during the launch of Access to Agriculture Markets Campaign in Lilongwe, Wednesday.
The Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), a development arm of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) is spearheading the initiative with funding from Oxfam in Malawi.
During the launch, the aspirants signed pledge forms as a commitment that once voted into power as Members of Parliament, they will strive to make sure that there are predictable, predetermined and focused markets for produce of small holder farmers from their respective constituencies.
They also signed by committing that they will ensure that the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) is timely funded so that it buys produce from farmers and in such a way it prioritizes buying small holders’ produce from hard to reach areas.
The commitment form also asked the aspiring Members of Parliament to make a pledge on how much they will push that a comprehensive standalone agriculture marketing policy is developed to guide formulation of produce buyer regulation body and set standards and quality of produce.
The National Secretary for CADECOM, Carsterns Mulume said the initiative is based on the study findings that the Centre for Agricultural Research and Development (CARD) of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources conducted.
“This is a campaign seeking political commitment from all the aspiring members of parliament to support access to agricultural markets once voted into power. The campaign has arisen out of the findings of the study report on “Smallholder Farmers Access to Agricultural Markets in Malawi” which highlighted challenges faced by small holder farmers to access markets, “he said.
Adding her voice, Layika Katenje, another woman farmer said learning from the tobacco sector in the country; government could do the same by establishing ready markets for value chain products such as groundnuts and beans.
“Tobacco has ready markets where farmers take their produce for sale. Tobacco farmers know that they will take their produce to Auction Floors. Infact, sometimes they know in advance the prices the commodities will fetch, why not other crops like groundnuts, soya beans?”,Queried Katenje while attracting an aloud of appraise from fellow farmers.
She then pleaded with aspiring members of parliament at the event and even those who did not attend to prioritize putting in place structures that will create predictable and predetermined markets for smallholder farmers when they are elected in the forth coming tripartite elections.
“It’s my hope that you won’t forget us once you become members of parliament as you seem here to be on our side. The only problem I have noted so far is that you people turn to forget us when you are on that seat, so please do what you have promised us, “She said.
For his part, Chairperson for Chitulula Area Development Committee (ADC) Adnan Kholola observed that unscrupulous venders are taking advantage of lack of proper systems and a functional ADMARC that would protect and promote small scale farming since vendors are the sole buyers of farmers’ produce.
He said they (vendors) take advantage of this and later offer them low prices besides tampering with their measuring scales.
He added that previously farmers never had difficulties in accessing a good market because ADMARC was readily available to buy produce from them.
Kholola however lamented that this is no longer the case because most ADMARC depots are ‘dead’ and cannot buy their commodities leaving the unscrupulous vendors as the only resort for farmers.
“We really need the ‘old ADMARC’ because in those days ADMARC was there for us all the times. You politicians should help us by establishing profitable markets,” he said.
On his part, Democratic Progressive Party aspiring Member of Parliament for Lilongwe City South West constituency, Wells John Adams said his party acknowledges that empowering small holder farmers, particularly women would also positively contribute to the country’s economy.
“As you might be aware that in DPP manifesto, the issue to do with food security is a none starter and we are determined to promote agri-business for our small holder farmers as a means of ending hunger and poverty. I must therefore assure you that as a party we demonstrate our commitment to support this campaign, “he said
Malawi Congress Party Aspiring Member of Parliament for South West, Louis Chikhwantha said the first action his party will take once voted into power will be to change the way government operates and by giving a conducive platform for small holder farmers to access markets for their produce.
He said ADMARC was functional during their days and that there is no reason for them to fail runs it once voted into power come May 20.
“We in the Malawi Congress Party and of course myself as a Member of Parliament will make sure that ADMARC is funded timely and not just that but with enough funding and resources that will enable them buy produce from our farmers,”said Chikhwantha.
During the day,over 70 Smallholder farmers from all the constituencies in Lilongwe took their time off and interacted with their aspiring parliamentarians.