By Burnett Munthali
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has articulated his government’s ambitious vision to transform Malawi into an industrialized, self-reliant nation with a robust upper-middle-income economy. Speaking recently, President Chakwera highlighted the Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining (ATM) strategy as central to achieving this vision.
President Chakwera emphasized the importance of the ATM strategy in transitioning the country from subsistence farming to a more advanced system of mechanization and commercialization. “We need to put emphasis on the ATM strategy so that we move from subsistence farming to commercialization,” he stated.
He advocated for the empowerment of smallholder farmers by organizing them into groups and cooperatives. This approach aims to increase agricultural productivity, add value to products, and stimulate industrial growth across the nation. “Smallholder farmers can be in groups and cooperatives and be empowered so that we can have more products and then add value to such products. We have industries across the country for the products,” President Chakwera added.
Addressing the challenges posed by climate change, President Chakwera underscored the need for significant investments in irrigation. He announced that the government has revitalized outdated irrigation schemes and is developing new ones with support from the World Bank. “We expect to have one of the largest irrigation schemes in Southern Africa,” he said.
Through these initiatives, President Chakwera aims to enhance agricultural resilience, stimulate industrialization, and drive economic growth, setting the stage for a more prosperous and self-sufficient Malawi.
