By Chisomo Phiri
United Transformation Movement (UTM) leader and presidential candidate in the upcoming September 16 general elections,Dalitso Kabambe,has unveiled a comprehensive plan to revolutionize the country’s agricultural sector.
In an interview with 247 Malawi News, the former Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM ) Governor,said the plan titled ‘3rd Revolution’ aims to transform the country’s agriculture from subsistence to a high-tech and high-value industry.
He pledged that under his leadership,he will inject MK 500 billion into agriculture and value-addition every year, with the goal of creating a vibrant sector that drives economic growth and improves Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The UTM president said the plan includes modernizing farming through improved soil management, advanced seed varieties, precision land use, and digital technologies.
He emphasized the importance of value-addition, citing examples of countries that have successfully implemented similar strategies.
“No more exporting raw crops and importing finished goods.
“Malawi will establish agro-processing zones, produce value-added products, and build industries from by-products,” said Kabambe.
He then called on Malawians to rise from being producers of raw materials to manufacturers of their own wealth, making agriculture the heartbeat of the country’s economic freedom.
In Malawi,agriculture accounts for more than one-quarter of GDP.
The sector supports direct and indirect employment, economic growth, export earnings, poverty reduction, food security, and nutrition.
Turning the country’s agriculture sector into an engine of growth has been a long-term development goal for Malawi for many years.
Maize is the major food crop and is the focus of Malawi’s policy agenda, but tobacco has been and continues to be the dominant cash crop.
Tobacco is responsible for more than 40 percent of the country’s annual export earnings, with additional cash crops including dried legumes, sugar, tea, cotton, and nuts.
