Ministry of Agriculture

Ministry of Agriculture (MA) is the main implementing agency for the AGCOM Project alongside other implementing partners such as: Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism; Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Malawi Investment and Trade Centre; Malawi Bureau of Standards and Productive Alliance Stakeholders (Producer Organizations and Off-takers). It also provides policy guidance and oversee the implementation of the Agricultural Commercialization (AGCOM) project

AGCOM project is one of the projects contributing towards the achievement of the National Agriculture Policy (NAP) which has the emphasis on “achieving farmer led agricultural transformation and commercialization that entails treating farming as a business”

The Ministry implements its activities through the following departments: Land Resources and Conservation Department which is responsible for ensuring integration of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA); the Department of Agriculture Extension Services (DAES) which is responsible for ensuring provision of quality agriculture extension and advisory services that enhance adoption of improved technologies for all gender categories among the POs; the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development (DAHLD) which is responsible for provision of animal production and disease control services; Department of Fisheries which provides fisheries services that will Increase Yield of fishery products by supporting Producer Organizations participating in Productive Alliance; Department of Crop Development (DCD) provides services that Increase yields of crops by POs and the Department of Planning in the Ministry (MA) through its Trade and Marketing Unit is responsible for supporting the marketing environment for the agricultural commodities while working closely with MoITT. At the implementation level, the Ministry through responsible departments is working with respective District Councils to reach out to POs

Department of Agriculture Planning Services (DAPS)
AGCOM reflects priorities of the National Agriculture Policy, which aims to transform the agricultural sector to deliver substantial increases in agricultural production, productivity, and real farm incomes. The multi-sectoral nature of the project requires linkages with other sectors hence the need for the Directorate of Agriculture Planning Services to play a pivotal role in coordinating the inter-sectoral implementation arrangements prescribed in the Project Appraisal Document

Department of Agriculture Extension Services (DAES)
Its mandate is to ensure provision of quality agriculture extension and advisory services that enhance adoption of improved technologies for all gender categories. This improves and sustains agriculture productivity for improved food, nutrition and income security, contributing to socio-economic growth and development of Malawi

Roles of DAES in AGCOM Project

• Facilitate the development, dissemination and access to appropriate and up–to-date agriculture messages through various agriculture IEC materials such as publications, radio and TV programs.
• Promote commercialization of agriculture value chain products selected under the project through capacity building of Producer Organizations in business oriented farm planning and management, PO leadership and governance and linking POs to markets.
• Promote gender equality, prevent the spread of HIV and mitigating the impacts of AIDS in order to increase agricultural productivity.
• Promote nutrition sensitive agriculture, food production, processing and utilization among the POs.
• Facilitate implementation of innovative systems, methods and approaches for reaching farmers with agriculture technologies in order to increase income and improve food and nutrition security

Department of Fisheries
Department of Fisheries is promoting Aquaculture Development in the country to compensate the dwindling catches from Lakes and Rivers. The overall goal of the department is to provide POs with professional services to ensure sustainable fisheries resource utilization and enhanced aquaculture through principles of good governance that leads to increased fish yield. To achieve sustainable development of aquaculture for the selected POs:

• The department ensures that appropriate regulatory measures for sustainable aquaculture development are put in place; small-scale aquaculture production is promoted as business; and investment in aquaculture development from both Government and the private sector is increased.
• The department is making sure that POs are using good quality floating fish feeds and certified fingerlings which are available through government fish farms and trained fingerlings producers.
• Due to the effects of climate change on fish farming the department is promoting cage culture, Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture, use of solar tent driers and fuel efficient smocking kilns that reduce post-harvest losses.

Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development
The specific role of DAHLD in AGCOM is to increase yield of livestock products (milk, meat, eggs) by supported producer organizations participating in the productive alliance. To achieve this role, DAHLD is undertaking a number of interventions:

• Producing and selling I-2 ND vaccine to control Newcastle Disease in chickens. The vaccine is thermo-tolerant, affordable and easy to handle.
• Promoting upgrading of POs indigenous breeds of livestock through cross-breeding, Artificial Insemination and selection.
• Reviewing of veterinary legislation in order to take on board emerging and re-emerging issues that are affecting the POs.
• DALHD is also controlling occurrence of trade sensitive diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
• Promoting multiplication of livestock in government farms so that farmers have access to improved livestock breeds.
• Promoting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) such as proper feeding and supplementation, good housing, pest/parasite and disease control.
• Conducting inspectorate services in abattoirs, dairy processing plants, dairy farms and livestock feed manufacturing plants.

Department of Crop Development
The role of Department of Crop Development (DCD) is to increase yields of crops by producer organizations selected under the project.To achieve the above objective, the Department is undertaking a number of critical interventions which include:

• Increasing availability and use of improved inputs (e.g. seed, etc) amongst producer organizations. The department will initiate and facilitate multiplication of basic seed into certified to enhance availability of good quality certified seed through seed banks within the producer organizations. Under the PO seed banks, there will be robust and regular supervision undertaken by the Department to enhance quality multiplication of the seed.
• The department will also develop capacity of producer organizations in seed production and multiplication through trainings that it will conduct.
• On-farm demonstrations and trainings on new improved agronomic technologies & practices in the selected value chains will also be conducted.
• The department will also develop and distribute technical messages on recommended crop husbandry/practices for the various value chains.
• On monitoring, surveillance and control of migratory pests like fall army worms that have continued attacking crops thereby reducing their yield levels, The Department will build capacity of producer organizations in management of the pests including identification features and how to control them.
• Through CERC opportunity window, it will also procure various chemicals for pest control operations by producer organizations.
• On postharvest crop management, DCD aims to reduce the postharvest crop losses due to pest attack and aflatoxin infestation that affect quality of the produce. DCD train and ensure use of improved technologies to reduce postharvest losses amongst producer organizations. Mounting of on-farm demonstrations on use of hermetic bags like the Purdue Improved Crop Storage (PICS) bags will be done