Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development

14/04/2026

Farm Gates Prices are out

Unduna wa Malimidwe, Ulimi Othirira ndi Chitukuko cha Madzi ukudziwitsa anthu onse m’dziko lino za mitengo yogulira mbeu ya chaka cha 2025/2026. Mitengoyi ili motere:”

10/04/2026

Avoiding Post-Harvest Losses

Harvest time has come and some farmers have started harvesting their crops. This is a joyful moment, but it is also a very critical time. What you do now will determine whether your hard work feeds your family and brings income or goes to waste.

Many farmers lose a lot of grain after harvest without realizing it. Grain can spoil, be eaten by pests, or lose its quality if not handled well.

The good news is that these losses can be reduced by following simple, practical steps.

First, harvest at the right time. Do not rush to harvest too early. Maize is ready when the cobs are almost dry, the husks turn brown, and the grains are hard. Harvesting too early reduces quality and can lead to losses.

Next, dry your grain properly. This is one of the most important steps. Wet grain can easily develop mold and rot. Spread your grain on a clean surface like a tarpaulin, mat, or raised platform, never directly on the soil. Let it dry well in the sun and protect it from rain and animals.

You can check if your grain is dry using simple local methods. Shake it in a tin, dry grain makes a sharp sound. Bite it, dry maize is hard and cracks. You can also mix it with salt in a bottle; if the salt becomes wet, the grain still has too much moisture.

After drying, shell and clean the grain. Remove all dirt, stones, and damaged grains. Clean grain not only stores better but also sells at a higher price.

Finally, store your grain safely. Use a clean, dry, and well ventilated storage place. Make sure it is protected from rain, rats, birds, and insects. Good storage keeps your grain safe for a long time.

Remember, once you harvest, you cannot improve the quality of your grain, you can only protect it. So handle your harvest with care. By doing so, you will reduce losses, have enough food for your family, and earn more from your hard work.

09/04/2026

Minister urges Water Boards to tackle ineffencies and improve service delivery

The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Honourable Roza Fatch Mbilizi, Thursday engaged officials from water utility bodies in a high-level meeting aimed at reviewing their performance and identifying practical measures to strengthen service delivery.

Speaking during the engagement, Mbilizi said the meeting was convened to examine common challenges affecting water boards and to develop strategies that would enable them to effectively fulfil their mandate of providing reliable water services to communities.

She underscored the importance of introspection and accountability, noting that institutions must undertake honest self-assessment if they are to achieve meaningful progress.

The Minister expressed concern over persistent inefficiencies in the sector, particularly the high levels of non-revenue water, despite significant investments being channelled into water infrastructure.

Mbilizi stressed that the continued loss of water through Non Revenue Water and system inefficiencies undermines efforts to expand access to clean and safe water.

“We are not getting it right on the ground,” she said, urging officials to confront challenges directly as our core objective is to provide water.”

The discussions also focused on both internal and external factors affecting the performance of water utilities, including operational inefficiencies, escalating production costs, and human resource management challenges.

The Minister called on the officials to adopt a results-oriented approach, emphasising collaboration and innovation in addressing sectoral bottlenecks.

“Water is life, and it must be treated with the urgency and importance it deserves,” Mbilizi added, encouraging the boards to take full ownership of their responsibilities and actively contribute to sustainable solutions.

Representatives of the water boards acknowledged several challenges affecting their operations, including high levels of non-revenue water, ageing infrastructure prone to frequent bursts, rising arrears, and prolonged debtor collection periods.

07/04/2026

Farm Gate Prices to be announced by end of the week – Minister

The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation, and Water Development, Honourable Roza Fatch Mbilizi has announced that this year’s farm gate prices will be released by the end of this week.

She made the announcement while responding to Leader of Opposition in Parliament Simplex Chithyola Banda ,who urged the Ministry to expedite the announcement as farmers have already begun harvesting their crops.

Chithyola noted that, in the absence of official farm gate prices, some farmers risk being exploited by vendors who may impose low prices on agricultural commodities.

In response, Minister Mbilizi reassured farmers that the announced prices will reflect their input costs.

She said, “Everything has been done, and we are just waiting for the approvals.”

The Minister also assured Malawians that the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) is ready to purchase produce across all markets, ensuring farmers have a guaranteed outlet for their crops.

07/04/2026

Congratulations Mr Chris Chaima Banda for being appointed Director General of Cannabis Regulatory Authority (CRA).

03/04/2026

Wishing you a joyful and blessed Easter.

31/03/2026

31/03/2026

26/03/2026

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Roza Fatch Mbilizi, has reaffirmed that promoting agricultural mechanisation remains a top priority for the government.

She made the remarks today in Lilongwe when Philip Morris International, through Pyxus Agriculture Limited, handed over 17 tractors to entrepreneurs who will rent them out to farmers to promote modern and efficient farming practices to boost agricultural productivity.

The minister emphasised that agricultural mechanisation is not merely a policy directive, but a foundational pillar of the country’s long-term development strategy.

She noted that it is firmly anchored in Malawi 2063, the First Malawi Implementation Plan, and the National Agriculture Policy 2024.

Mbilizi said the push for mechanisation is driven by the urgent need to transition from labour-intensive, hand-hoe farming to more efficient and productive agricultural systems.

She observed that such a shift is critical if Malawi is to meet its food security and economic growth ambitions.

The minister explained that increased access to machinery would ensure timely land preparation, planting and harvesting, ultimately boosting productivity and overall agricultural output.

She said in addition, mechanisation would significantly reduce the heavy manual labour burden on farmers and help address related challenges such as child labour.

The minister further stressed that the transformation of the agricultural sector cannot be achieved in isolation, highlighting the importance of strong public-private partnerships in complementing government efforts and accelerating national development goals.

Chief Global Operations Officer at Philip Morris International, Scott Andrew Coutts, said the initiative is aimed at expanding farmers’ access to tractors and promoting the adoption of modern farming methods.

He added that improved access to mechanisation technologies among smallholder farmers will play a key role in increasing agricultural production and productivity in Malawi.

26/03/2026

Over 925,000 beneficiaries accessed FISP

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Honourable Roza Fatch Mbilizi, has announced that the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) has recorded significant progress in the 2025/2026 farming season, with notable improvements in beneficiary access and input redemption.

Delivering a ministerial statement before the August House on Thursday, Mbilizi said as of 13 March 2026, a total of 925,428 beneficiaries had redeemed farm inputs under the programme. Of these, 577,261 are female-headed households, while 348,161 are male-headed households.

She disclosed that the beneficiaries have redeemed 1,850,855 bags of fertiliser, translating to 91,118.65 metric tonnes, representing 84 percent of the total allocation.

“This marks a substantial improvement compared to the same period last season, when redemption stood at 67 percent,” said Mbilizi.

The minister further highlighted that performance across districts has significantly improved, noting that no district has recorded redemption rates below 72 percent.

She said this contrasts sharply with the previous season, where 12 districts were below 50 percent, with Mulanje District recording the lowest at 27 percent.

Mbilizi said the equitable distribution of inputs has also improved at regional level, addressing past concerns of imbalances in allocation.

She outlined the regional performance as follows: the Southern Region has achieved 86 percent redemption, up from 38 percent last season; the Eastern Region stands at 83 percent, compared to 40 percent; the Central Region has recorded 84 percent, slightly improving from 80 percent; while the Northern Region registered 83 percent, down from 90 percent last season.

According to the minister, the improved performance is a result of strengthened systems and leadership direction aimed at ensuring fairness and efficiency in the programme.

She attributed the progress to guidance from President Arthur Peter Mutharika, whom she commended for promoting equitable distribution of farm inputs across the country.

Mbilizi emphasized that government remains committed to enhancing transparency, accountability, and timely delivery of inputs to maximise the programme’s impact on food security.


Malawi Government

25/03/2026

Malawi strengthens To***co sector partnerships with Philip Morris International

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Roza Fatch Mbilizi, together with Deputy Minister Thoko Tembo, on Wednesday held high-level discussions with a delegation from Philip Morris International (PMI), a multinational to***co company, on Malawi’s to***co industry.

Speaking during the meeting in Lilongwe, Mbilizi underscored the critical role the to***co sector continues to play in the country’s economy.

She said government is working towards finalising regulatory frameworks to support the industry, which remains a key source of livelihood for many Malawians.

“The to***co industry is central to our economy. We are committed to creating an enabling environment that supports its growth while ensuring sustainability,” she said.

Mbilizi acknowledged challenges affecting the sector, including overproduction and marketing constraints, noting that government is implementing measures to address these issues and stabilise the industry.

She highlighted contract farming as a key strategy to improve agricultural operations, strengthen farmer support systems, and ensure better returns for growers.

The Minister also commended PMI for its continued collaboration with Malawi in areas such as education and sanitation, particularly programmes focusing on girls’ education and health initiatives.

“We appreciate partnerships that go beyond business and contribute to community development,” she added.

Mbilizi emphasised that government is committed to strengthening such collaborations to foster inclusive growth and improve livelihoods in rural communities.

In his remarks, PMI Team Leader and Chief Global Operations Officer, Scot Coutts, described Malawi as a strategic market for the company.

He said PMI has made a number of investments in the agricultural sector aimed at promoting sustainable to***co growing while improving the lives of Malawians.

“We have introduced programmes that support rural livelihoods, and we will continue to strengthen our supply base to ensure sustainability,”