MALAWI – The Government of Malawi, in partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has launched the second National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS 2).
This initiative aims to significantly increase rice production and diversify Malawi’s agricultural exports, positioning rice as a key cash crop alongside tobacco.
Kazuhiro Tambara, JICA Chief Representative reaffirmed his agency’s commitment to supporting Malawi’s efforts in enhancing rice production for both domestic consumption and export markets.
Tambara emphasized the critical role that rice plays in food security, supplementing maize consumption, and acknowledged the shift in dietary habits among Malawians.
“Gone are the days when rice was reserved for special occasions. Today, rice is consumed daily, especially in urban areas,” he said.
Tambara also noted that rice production contributes positively to the livelihoods of many Malawians, from farmers to traders, and holds great potential for earning foreign currency through exports.
Local aromatic rice varieties such as Kilombero and Faya are in high demand within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, with countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana expressing strong interest.
In light of these opportunities, Tambara called for increased rice production to meet international market demands while also addressing challenges such as the smuggling of rice into neighboring countries, which undermines formal trade.
“We need to find ways to channel our rice proceeds through formal markets to maximize foreign exchange earnings,” Tambara stated.
He further encouraged Malawian farmers to diversify into other cash crops, pointing to the decline in tobacco’s global market due to anti-smoking campaigns.
On his part, Sam Kawale, Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture, expressed the government’s strong support for the NRDS 2, emphasizing its alignment with the country’s long-term development plan, Malawi 2063.
Kawale highlighted the strategy’s focus on mechanization, large-scale commercial production, and investments in the rice value chain, which he believes can contribute significantly to the country’s industrialization, poverty reduction, and employment generation.
“Rice production and commercialization can reduce poverty, increase foreign exchange, facilitate import substitution, and create employment,” Kawale stated.
He urged stakeholders in the rice sector to promote high-yielding, aromatic varieties developed by the Department of Agricultural Research to expand farmers’ choices and boost productivity.
Kawale also acknowledged the challenges posed by climate change, with 84% of Malawi’s rice production dependent on rain-fed environments.
He reassured that the Ministry of Agriculture is committed to investing in irrigation infrastructure through government and donor-funded projects to mitigate these risks and increase the resilience of rice production in Malawi.
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