By Chilungamo Missi
Blantyre, Mana: Malawi Confederation of Chambers, Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) Head of Business Linkages and Events, Linda Pete has said all is set for this year’s national agriculture fair.
The fair is slated for October 6 to 8 will be conducted under the theme: ‘Enhanced Agricultural Productivity for Industrialisation.’
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, Pete said as of Monday October 3, 2022 they had 128 pavilions taken up which is more than the previous agriculture fair.
“If we compare with 124 pavilions that were taken in the 2021 National Agriculture Fair, we have registered a 3.2% increase this year which is a good development,” she said.
She said this year’s theme: Enhanced Agriculture Productivity for Industrialisation resonates well with the country’s aspirations of the Vision 2063 Agenda which puts emphasis on agriculture which remains the backbone of the country’s economy.
“Emphasis on agriculture as business must be stressed to urge stakeholders to adopt productive approaches to production to realise increased output per unit input. This is towards attainment of a middle income status by 2063; as such the fair provides a platform for exposure to new technologies, markets and financial arrangements in line with this year’s theme,” Pete said.
She added that they officially closed registration last week Friday, but they have seen late comers still knocking and so far have been admitted to provide a platform for networking, business linkages to as many players within the agricultural value chain.
Speaking in a separate interview, Farmers Union of Malawi President, Frighton Njolomole said it is a good development that the number of exhibitors in this year’s fair has increased, noting that it will give the farmers and all players in the sector a wide opportunity to learn from one another.
“Agriculture Fairs give farmers an opportunity to display their products and learn what others are doing. This year’s theme tells us that it is high time that many people migrated from traditional way of doing things to modern mechanization,” said Njolomole.
