Minister of Agriculture and water development Allan Chiyembekeza has challenged Malawi Civil Society activist to bring alternative ideas on agriculture economy than just criticising government policies.
Chiyembekeza: Bring solutions
Cisanet Board Chair, Rex Chapota speaking during this year’s Cisanet AGM which ended Thursday late night
Chiyembekeza said this when he officially opening CISANET 2015 National Conference and Annual General Meeting.
He said time for just criticising government policies is over.
Chiyembekeza said it has become a habit that experts just criticise each and every government policy.
“It’s time to change the way how we transact business, we are all government here, if you say government has failed you are part of government system and you are part of those contributing to failure,” said Chiyembekeza in the presence of newly appointed NGO Board Chief Executive Officer Voice Mhone.
Chiyembekeza said the meeting brings another opportunity to deliberate on issues that are relevant for agriculture development.
“Under the theme ; Science and Technology for Agriculture Development, it is the intention of this Conference to make proposals on how science and technology can be mainstreamed in the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach (ASWAP) leveraging on agricultural human resource development and agriculture policy development,” said Chiyembekeza.
Chiyembekeza revealed that as requested during the last CISANET AGM , Government has drafted National Agriculture Policy which would be finalized this year 2015.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees Cisanet board chair Rex Chapota thanked Development partners European Union, Irish Aid, GIZ, Oxfam,NASFAM and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources for the financial support.
Chapota said CISANET believes that Malawi needs to have a body that will provide the Ministry and the whole agriculture sector in Malawi with support in addressing systemic bottlenecks in delivering on apriority national agenda for achieving growth and food security.
Chapota said CISANET believe that Malawi needs to have a vision for the development of the agriculture sector at least for the next 50 years to come.