Experts urge increased agriculture investment

By Benadetta Chiwanda Mia:

Malawi’s agricultural sector continues to underperform, with growth rates remaining below three percent.

For instance, during the 2023-24 fiscal year, the sector recorded a mere 0.8 percent increase despite meeting the 10 percent budgetary allocation threshold set by the Malabo Declaration.

This comes at a time when African nations are expected to launch a 10-year agricultural transformation blueprint in Kampala, Uganda, aimed at revamping the continent’s food systems under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The extraordinary summit, which commenced yesterday, has been organised by the African Union (AU) Commission.

The Kampala Declaration supersedes the 2014 Malabo Declaration, which required AU member states, including Malawi, to commit 10 percent of national budgets to agriculture while targeting a six percent annual sector growth to reduce poverty and hunger.

In an interview, agriculture policy analyst Tamani Nkhono- Mvula said that the 10 percent budget allocation should be viewed as a minimum requirement, suggesting that more resources are needed to achieve meaningful transformation. Nkhono-Mvula added that agricultural transformation requires a coordinated approach across sectors.

“Malawi has allocated more than 10 percent of its budget to agriculture but the failure to achieve our targets suggests that the 10 percent allocation is a bare minimum. The real focus should be on the actual growth rate of the sector.

“Agriculture’s performance depends not only on the 10 percent we invest but also on how sectors like transport and energy are performing,” he said.

Economics Association of Malawi (Ecama) president Bertha Bangara Chikadza attributed the low agricultural investment to fiscal constraints and competing political priorities.

“Agricultural productivity in Africa remains the slowest among developing regions globally. In the case of Malawi, the agricultural sector requires not only increased investments but also improved efficiency in the allocation and utilisation of approved spending,” Chikadza said.

CAADP Non-State Actors Chairperson Chikondi Chabvuta Mkawa stressed the importance of investment finance in transforming agrifood systems and implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“Africa has underperformed in public spending on agriculture and there is a persistent lack of private investment data. There is a need for agriculture-dependent countries to progressively work towards the 10 percent budget allocation,” Mkawa said.

National Planning Commission communications specialist Thom Khanje said Malawi’s development blueprint aligns with both continental and international goals.

“The Malawi 2063 vision aligns with both the Sustainable Development Goals and the AU Agenda 2063. By adhering to the Malawi Implementation Plan, we can meet both continental and international goals,” Khanje said.