Civil society organisations in Balaka have embarked on a scoping exercise that will improve coordination of agriculture service providers. This, according to Edward Mwale, chairperson for Balaka District Agriculture Extension Coordination Committee (DAECC) is key to enhancing agriculture production and productivity for farmers.
Mwale says the district attracts many civil society organisations due to frequent climatic shocks it experiences and proper coordination will result into farmers getting a wide range of quality services that would improve agriculture production.
“If all players in the agriculture sector at the district level work together, the impact will be huge and smallholder farmers will benefit the most”, said Mwale during a media tour organised by Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET).
“With support from CISANET, we have done the scoping of issues to find out what are the needs of farmers in the district and we are now going into strategic planning. From this, we will also develop a roadmap. All this will help us know the services each new or existing service provider is offering for farmers in the district. This will promote complementarity which is key in enhancing agriculture production.”
Mwale added that the project will also enhance transparency and accountability in the sector.
“As a coordination committee, we will know what each organisation is working on, where and for how long. This will also help farmers to hold organisations to account if they are indeed delivering what they committed at the council.
“Before an organisation begins to work in the district, the structure and particularly farmers would have to know the services they are bringing and if they are not bringing what was unearthed as a need in the scoping exercises – perhaps we would argue that they are responding to wrong issues. This will also bring sanity in the sector.”
Pamela Kuwali, CISANET National Director, says USAID funded Strengthening Inclusive Agriculture Sector Growth and Sustainable Natural Resource Governance in Malawi project demonstrates that strong agriculture governance at district level is a key catalyst to increasing agriculture production and productivity.
“The project focusses on strengthening agriculture governance structures in the impact districts we are working in. The structures are facilitating the introduction of systems that enhance efficiency and accountability,” Kuwali said.
“Avoiding duplication and creating an environment that fosters accountability and transparency among the players would be key to realising the visions set in the Agriculture Policy and National Agriculture Investment Plan.”
CISANET is implementing the project in collaboration with Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM), Malawi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) and Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA). The project, with the following impact district Balaka, Mangochi, Machinga, Ntchisi, Dowa, Lilongwe and Mchinji – is being implemented at district and national levels.
Civil society organisations in Balaka have embarked on a scoping exercise that will improve coordination of agriculture service providers. This, according to Edward Mwale, chairperson for Balaka District Agriculture Extension Coordination Committee (DAECC) is key to enhancing agriculture production and productivity for farmers.
Mwale says the district attracts many civil society organisations due to frequent climatic shocks it experiences and proper coordination will result into farmers getting a wide range of quality services that would improve agriculture production.
“If all players in the agriculture sector at the district level work together, the impact will be huge and smallholder farmers will benefit the most”, said Mwale during a media tour organised by Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET).
“With support from CISANET, we have done the scoping of issues to find out what are the needs of farmers in the district and we are now going into strategic planning. From this, we will also develop a roadmap. All this will help us know the services each new or existing service provider is offering for farmers in the district. This will promote complementarity which is key in enhancing agriculture production.”
Mwale added that the project will also enhance transparency and accountability in the sector.
“As a coordination committee, we will know what each organisation is working on, where and for how long. This will also help farmers to hold organisations to account if they are indeed delivering what they committed at the council.
“Before an organisation begins to work in the district, the structure and particularly farmers would have to know the services they are bringing and if they are not bringing what was unearthed as a need in the scoping exercises – perhaps we would argue that they are responding to wrong issues. This will also bring sanity in the sector.”
Pamela Kuwali, CISANET National Director, says USAID funded Strengthening Inclusive Agriculture Sector Growth and Sustainable Natural Resource Governance in Malawi project demonstrates that strong agriculture governance at district level is a key catalyst to increasing agriculture production and productivity.
“The project focuses on strengthening agriculture governance structures in the impact districts we are working in. The structures are facilitating the introduction of systems that enhance efficiency and accountability,” Kuwali said.
“Avoiding duplication and creating an environment that fosters accountability and transparency among the players would be key to realising the visions set in the Agriculture Policy and National Agriculture Investment Plan.”
CISANET is implementing the project in collaboration with Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM), Malawi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI) and Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (CEPA). The project, with the following impact district Balaka, Mangochi, Machinga, Ntchisi, Dowa, Lilongwe and Mchinji – is being implemented at district and national levels.