According to Nyasa Times, the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) is facing funding delays that threaten its target to purchase 108,000 metric tonnes of maize for Malawi's Strategic Grain Reserves. Despite the harvest season being well advanced and market prices steadily climbing, the agency has not yet received the financial resources required to begin procurement.
NFRA Chief Executive Officer Bruce Munthali confirmed that the institution is actively engaging the Ministry of Agriculture and the Treasury to secure the money. Under the current plan, the agency aims to acquire 86,500 metric tonnes through competitive tendering and an additional 21,500 metric tonnes directly from traders on a first-come basis.
Malawi's storage infrastructure can hold approximately 340,000 metric tonnes of maize. Current guidelines recommend maintaining between 150,000 and 217,000 metric tonnes in reserve to protect the population against recurring food shortages, price volatility, and weather shocks.
In other sector news, a call for applications opened this week for the Strengthening Agriculture Commercialisation Project in Malawi. According to fundsforNGOs, the United Nations Development Programme is seeking eligible firms and individuals to provide mentorship and off-taking services to smallholder farmers across specific value chains, including soybean, rice, and aquaculture.