Malawian farmers observed World Food Day on October 16 during a severe agricultural crisis, struggling with record input costs while facing the lowest regional maize prices, according to Malawi24. Commemorating the day, Deputy Director for Food and Nutrition Gibson Jere urged growers to diversify their crop production away from maize. He recommended planting drought-resilient crops such as sorghum, millet, and cassava to improve local food security. Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Roza Fatch Mbilizi attended the global World Food Day ceremony in Rome as domestic growers face rising financial pressure.
Update: The tobacco sector continues to experience significant challenges with its current registration system. According to Nyasa Times, the Tobacco Commission's "Know Your Grower" initiative has seen extremely low turnout, with only 19 percent of farmers signing up despite a recent deadline extension. Out of the 293,205 recorded tobacco growers in the country, just 55,851 have completed the mandatory registration, causing a major setback to the industry's traceability and compliance efforts.
Update: The Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) has drawn fresh scrutiny over a recent executive appointment. Nyasa Times reports that the state-owned grain marketer appointed Aubrey Sumbuleta as deputy chief executive officer, a position that was abolished three years ago to reduce operational costs. The appointment has raised questions about corporate governance, as the role is reportedly missing from the corporation's officially approved staff structure.