Twenty-one Farm-Based Organisations (FBOs) across seven districts in the country will now have an opportunity to improve their crop production and venture into value addition, thanks to a special grant awarded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through the Transforming Agriculture through Diversification (TRADE) programme.
The K1.8 billion grant will benefit at least five thousand farmers drawn from 21 FBOs from Rumphi, Thyolo, Dedza, Kasungu, Ntchisi, Karonga and Mchinji districts.
Speaking Wednesday at Mponela in Dowa during the disbursement of the grants, IFAD country director Bernadette Mukonyora said the organisation hopes to see beneficiaries contribute to the growth of the country’s economy.
“We want to see beneficiaries of these grants venture into serious crop production and venture into value addition to improve profits,” she said.
Mukonyora said beneficiaries of the grants have been urged to use the money to invest in modern ways of farming.
“We are hoping to see increased mechanisation, processing of farm produce and creation of jobs for the unemployed,” said Mukunyora.
Secretary for Local Government Richard Hara has since commended the disbursement of the grants, saying they will go a long way towards improving the welfare of rural farmers.
“These grants are not just financial injections, they are Investments in the resilience, innovation and dignity of our farmers,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Audrey Chinzimbe hailed TRADE programme for the grant, saying it will help her to scale up production.
