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By Macneil Kalowekamo

For many people in Mzimba, the idea of going to South Africa in search of a better life is more appealing than any thought.The people who go to the rainbow nation from this district claim to find life in the village very difficult. The majority of these are men who often leave their families behind to chase a dream in this foreign nation.

While many youths in Mzimba think of following their friends and relatives to South Africa, one young man by the name of Enoch Chirwa thinks otherwise. “I see that there is potential of doing greater things here in my village than going to South Africa,” says the 22-year-old young man from Mama Godi Shumba Village in Traditional Authority Mbelwa in the district.

The marketing season for the 2016/2017 growing season is finally here. From all perspectives, things have already started to take shape on the market with various traders flocking to rural areas to buy various commodities from smallholder farmers. With levels of poverty so high among many smallholder farmers, coupled by high illiterate levels, most farmers have been tempted to sale their commodities when they have not fully dried up to the correct moisture. This is done perhaps with the hopes of making hay while the sun shine and possibly address some of the challenges they meet in their day to day life. However, when all is said and done, one thing that remains critical to almost all stakeholders especially farmers, is usually prices. While farmers are excited with the good produce they have realised due to the good rains experienced this growing season, a major concern of many farmers is on prices, as such seasons are usually characterized by low prices of commodities.

As one way of ensuring that fair trade prevails this season, the African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC) through its Market Access Programme, has been organizing business to business meetings across the regions in Malawi with an aim of fostering partnerships and trust among all players in the agricultural value chain. The meeting in central region, that took place at cross roads hotel in Lilongwe, saw various players from both the private and public sector patronizing the event. 10 companies and 61 farmers from various associations and cooperatives in Lilongwe, Dowa and Ntchisi attended the event in Lilongwe.

Opportunity arose for Young Innovative Farmers (YIF)in Lilongwe to engage various service providers, when the African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (AICC) organized a business  to business meeting for young innovative and service providers at BICC in Lilongwe.

The meeting which was facilitated in order to give a platforms to both parties to collaborate and discussion issues affecting them saw a number of young farmers from various location converging at one place in order to engage the service providers with hopes of string good deals with them.