Chakwera launches agricultural mechanization initiative

Malawi President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera on Thursday launched the Agricultural Mechanization Initiative which took place at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe.

Speaking during the function President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera commended Phillip Morris coming in to support the mechanization initiative.

Chakwera urged those using the machines to take care of them so that other people using them are able to help other people.

The president urged the Ministry of agriculture to take care and make proper follow up on the initiative.

The President said the initiative aims at increasing farmers profitability while protecting soil health.

The program aligns with the Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) Strategy – a brainchild of President Chakwera that seeks to achieve food security, stimulate job creation, and foster wealth creation with a strategic focus on enhancing productivity within the ATM sectors.

Chakwera said the machines being launched will help to restore the soil fertility.

The launch of the agricultural mechanization initiative is a clear demonstration of Government commitment in resolving challenges which the agricultural sector has been going through.

For example despite the importance of mega farms initiative , the sector faces numerous challenges, including an overdependence on rain-fed farming systems, limited absorption of improved technologies, and a lack of investment capacity in mechanization, among several others.

Against this backdrop, the Chakwera-led administration has decided to introduce the Agricultural Mechanization Initiative to empower smallholder farmers to adopt modern farming methods through the use of machines, thereby reducing labor costs.

The launch of the Agricultural Mechanization is is inline with various research which shows that Mechanization increases the power applied to agricultural operations and is one tool among many for improving farm productivity.

Mechanization also helps to lower costs and ensure timeliness of operations, allowing a greater area of land to be cultivated.

According to the research , the demand for mechanization is therefore determined by the stage of agricultural transformation reflecting the use of complementary inputs (improved seeds, fertilizer), the intensity of farming, land holdings, and rural labor supply.