Malawi president honoured with food security award

Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika has received the inaugural Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) Food Security Policy Leadership Award for his agricultural policy interventions which have transformed Malawi from a food deficit nation to a net maize exporter.

The prize was awarded on Thursday afternoon by FANRPAN, a regional multi-stakeholder network promoting effective food security policies in Southern Africa.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Frank Mwenefumbo, said it was a great achievment for the country to receive such award.

\"As a nation, we feel proud of this achievement and it is a marvel to both developing countries and highly developed countries,\" he said.

He added that the trophy is a recognition to the president for his remarkable achievement which has come from his political will to increase food security within a short period of time.

FANRPAN Chief Executive Officer Lindiwe Majele Sibanda said the Award was established in 2008 to honour individuals or organisations that make effective evident contributions towards food security and poverty alleviation in Southern Africa.

In the backdrop of the global food crisis which has hit the whole world and affected the region, Malawi’s food policies are a demonstration that African countries have the capacity to be food secure if they apply the right policies, she said.

“President wa Mutharika has implemented an Agricultural Input Subsidy Programme in the face of international donor criticism and reluctance to support subsidies. Malawi’s success story is an inspiration to the region and President wa Mutharika is the most deserving winner of the inaugural FANRPAN Award,” she said.

Sibanda said African smallholder farmers are ill-resourced and they need support. Malawi has demonstrated that a conducive policy environment can unlock value in agricultural productivity. As a result of the AISP, Malawi’s grain production tripled from national production average of 1, 2 million metric tonnes in 2005 to 3.2 million metric tonnes in 2006 and 2007.

The challenge now is to ensure that researchers, private sector, parliamentarians, donors, farmers and government all work together to build on the success to ensure and strengthen the resolve of what the president has been telling the nation of making Malawi a hunger free nation.

The network was established in 1997 following a call by Ministers of Agriculture in East and Southern Africa for evidence to support policy development and the harmonisation of policy at regional level.

FANRPAN coordinates food and agricultural policy processes in 12 Southern African countries through its regional secretariat in South Africa.