Minister of Agriculture, Lobin Lowe, has commended Malawi Leader President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s commitment, zeal and passion for transforming Agriculture through mechanisation.
Lowe said this on Saturday when he handed over two tractors to cooperatives in Lilongwe. Lowe said since Chakwera took over power from Democratic Progressive Party regime most farmers have benefitted from a government project known as Agricultural Commercialization Project (AGCOM) and they own big machines for different tasks such as tractors , animal feed making machines, milk processing machines.
“After relying on a hoe for a long time it took Dr Lazarus Chakwera to go Commercialization and he actually emphasized on mechanization and when we talk about mechanization tractors is one of implements to rely on. That is why we launched two just one day,” he said.
Lowe over the weekend visited various beneficiaries of Agricultural Commercialization Project.
The tour was aimed at appreciating progress made and challenges which the cooperatives are facing.
The minister said there is much productivity whenever farmers are using tractors in cooperatives than hoes.
Some of the challenges farmers registered include the 25% devaluation which they say triggered prices of building materials. Some of the sites visited include Mwachisosa women in the area of Senior Chief Chadza, Kanyerere in the area of Sub TA Mbwatalika and Masomphenya Cooperatives in the area of Senior Chief Khongoni.
Apart from handing over tractors to help in commercialising agriculture, the Minister also handed over a 10 tonner truck to Kanyerere Cooperative.