ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI, HIS - PDF document

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI, HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. BINGU WA MUTHARIKA AT THE FANRPAN STAKEHOLDER’S CONFERENCE, LILONGWE, MALAWI, 3 SEPTEMBER 2008. Salutations • YOUR EXCELLENCIES • HONOURABLE MINISTERS • MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS • PARLIAMENTARIANS AND SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS • GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM THE SOUTHERN AFRICA DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) AND THE COMMON MARKET FOR EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) • CHAIRPERSON OF FARNPAN AND COMESA SECRETARY GENERAL MR SINDISO NGWENYA, FARNPAN BOARD MEMBERS • REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR • THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS (IFAP), MR. AJAY VASHEE • THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY • HEAD OF MISSION AND CEO OF FANRPAN, DR. LINDIWE MAJELE SIBANDA AND FANRPAN SECRETARIAT STAFF • MEMBERS OF THE FANRPAN COUNTRY NODES • MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES • DISTINGUISHED GUESTS • LADIES AND GENTLEMEN Acceptance remarks Draft President’s Speech 1

I AM HUMBLED TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, MORE IMPORTANTLY TO ACCEPT THIS AWARD, OF WHICH I AM THE INAUGURAL RECEPIENT. I HUMBLY ACCEPT THE AWARD AS AN HONOUR TO THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI. I LIKEN MYSELF TO A SHEPERD IN THIS MALAWI’S FOOD SECURITY SUCCESS STORY. TO QUOTE KEN BLANCHARD, WRITING IN THE BOOK, ���������������������� � SAYS “REMEMBER THAT THE PRIMARY BIBLICAL IMAGE OF SERVANT LEADERSHIP IS THAT OF THE SHEPHERD, BECAUSE THE FLOCK IS NOT THERE FOR THE SHEPHERD; THE SHEPHERD IS THERE FOR THE SAKE OF THE FLOCK.” THIS IS A RECOGNITION OF THE PEOPLE OF MALAWI, THEY HAVE DONE THE COUNTRY PROUD THROUGH THEIR DOGGED DETERMINATION IN SUPPORTING THE GOVERNMENT AGRICULTURAL INPUT SUBSIDY PROGRAMME BY ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN IT. THE AWARD IS AN EXPRESSION CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICIES MY GOVERNMENT HAS PURSUED ON FOOD SECURITY IN LINE WITH THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE HONOUR FARNPAN HAS BESTOWED ON MALAWI AND HER PEOPLE. I WOULD NOW LIKE GIVE YOU A BRIEF ON HOW WE ACHIEVED OUR SUCCESS. Main Speech AT THE ONSET, LET ME WELCOME YOU TO MALAWI, THE WARM HEART OF AFRICA. FOOD SECURITY IS A CRITICAL ISSUE IN MALAWI AS IT IS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA AND GLOBALLY. FOOD HAS TAKEN THE LEAD POSITION IN THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA AND TO SOME EXTENT IN THE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC AGENDA IN THE WAKE OF THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS. AFRICA HAS BEEN CAUGHT NAPPING AS FAR AS FOOD SECURITY IS CONCERNED. WE HAVE WITNESSED SCENCES OF PEOPLE POURING ONTO THE STREETS, THREATENING NATIONAL SECURITY IN PROTEST AGAINST Draft President’s Speech 2

RISING FOOD PRICES AND GROWING HUNGER. IT IS THEREFORE URGENT THAT EACH ONE OF US, REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS IN PARTICULAR, PRIORITISE FOOD SECURITY NOW AND NO LATER. AS ALBERT EINSTEIN ONCE SAID, “AN EMPTY STOMACH IS NOT A GOOD POLITICAL ADVISOR.’’ WE HAVE TO GUARANTEE OUR FOOD SECURITY TO PRESERVE PEACE AND STABILITY. IT IS OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY AS A REGION TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IN AFRICA GOES TO BED ON AN EMPTY STOMACH. THIS IS POSSIBLE IF WE STRENGTHEN OUR RESOLVE IN FULFILLING THE GOALS OF CAADP. THIS IS THE CHALLENGE WE FACE IN AFRICA AND CLOSER TO HOME, I AM CONVINCED WE HAVE DONE OUR BIT TOWARDS MEETING THIS CHALLENGE. IN 2005/6 THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAWI, WENT AGAINST THE GRAIN BY SUBSIDISING AGRICULTURAL INPUTS AT THE RISK OF LOSING INTERNATIONAL DONOR SUPPORT. SKEPTICS WERE READY TO USE US AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF HOW NOT TO GO ABOUT ENSURING FOOD SECURITY. BUT WE WERE DETERMINED TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE OF MANY HOUSEHOLDS IN MALAWI AND DID THE UNTHINKABLE. OUR SUBSIDY INPUT PROGRAMME HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME FROM THE BLANKET SUBSIDY ON HYBRID MAIZE SEED AND FERTILIZERS TO THE STARTER PACK PROGRAMME, THEN THE TARGETED INPUTS PROGRAMME TO WHAT WE KNOW TODAY AS THE AGRICULTURAL INPUT SUBSIDY PROGRAMME. TODAY WE WELCOME YOU TO MALAWI NOT ONLY TO BEAR WITNESS TO OUR SUCCESS BUT FOR US TO SHARE WITH YOU THE RECIPE FOR THIS SUCCESS. I REPEAT, “ MALAWI SHALL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN.” TODAY, MALAWI IS ENJOYING ITS THIRD SUCCESSIVE YEAR OF A BUMPER MAIZE HARVEST AT……. WHICH TRANSLATES TO …. PER HECTARE THAT Draft President’s Speech 3

EACH OF OUR FARMERS PRODUCED. THIS YEAR WE ANTICIPATE TO HAVE ….HECTARES UNDER MAIZE. MALAWI HAS NOT BEEN RESTING ON ITS LAURELS. NOTHING BREEDS SUCCESS LIKE SUCCESS. MY GOVERNMENT HAS BUDGETED MK20 BILLION (NEARLY US$134 000) FOR THE SUBSIDY PROGRAMME TO BENEFIT THE 2008/9 AGRICULTURE SEASON. MANY OF YOU MIGHT WELL ASK. WHAT HAS BEEN THE SECRET OF OUR SUCCESS HERE IN MALAWI? BEFORE I CAN LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG, I WOULD LIKE BY A SHOW OF HANDS, AS TO HOW MUCH YOU PREPARED TO PAY FOR THIS (joke). WE ARE WARY OF OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS! IN BRIEF, I WILL CONFINE OUR SUCCESS TO THREE FACTORS: • COORDINATED AGRICULTURAL INPUTS ROLL OUT • STRONG PARTNERSHIPS • DETERMINATION AND BOLD POLICY POSITIONS WE HAVE ENJOYED FOOD SECURITY; THANKS TO THE FOCUSED INPUTS PROGRAMME WHOSE PACKAGE NOW INCLUDES POST-HARVEST PESTICIDES, SEEDS AND FERTILIZERS. WE BELIEVE THAT FOOD SECURITY ALSO INVOLVES SECURING THE HARVEST FROM LOSSES DUE TO PESTS, DISEASES AND POOR STORAGE. THE FOOD AND AGRICULTRE ORGANISATION HAS ASSISTED MY GOVERNMENT WITH 600 METAL GRANARIES AND I HAVE DIRECTED THAT 5000 GRANARIES BE CONSTRUCTED EVERY YEAR TO SAVE OUR HARVEST FROM LOSSES WHICH LAST YEAR AMOUNTED TO…. ADD FACTS AND FIGURES. TO QUOTE A FORMER US PRESIDENT, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, “AT THE WORKING MAN'S HOUSE HUNGER LOOKS IN BUT DARES NOT ENTER.” FOR MALAWIANS, Draft President’s Speech 4

THE ISSUE OF HUNGER HAS BEEN RELEGATED TO THE HISTORY BOOKS BECAUSE OF OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS. AS MALAWIANS WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT HARD WORK, DETERMINATION AND A BOLD POLICY POSITION ARE THE KEY TO OUR SUCCESS. MALAWI SHALL NEVER BE HUNGRY AGAIN THE WEATHER HAS BEEN GOOD AND WE ARE NOT TAKING THIS FOR GRANTED THAT IT WILL ALWAYS BE SO, GIVEN THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE. INSERT HERE HARZARDS OF CLIMATIC HAZRDS THAT HAVE OCCURRED GIVING SPECIFICS ON TYPE, LOCATION AND TIME. MY GOVERNMENT IS INVESTING IN AN INTENSIVE IRRIGATION PROGRAMME TO HARNESS AVAILABLE WATER RESOURCES TO OPTIMUM USE. WINTER CROPPING WILL CONSOLIDATE MALAWI’S FOOD INDEPENDENCE. WE WILL SOON BE LAUNCHING THE BINGU GREEN BELT INITIATIVE. LAKE MALAWI IS A GOOD SOURCE OF WATER WHICH SCIENTISTS CLASSIFY AS GRADE A WATER. THIS IS WATER WHICH YOU CAN PIPE WITHOUT CAUSING SILTATION. WE WOULD LIKE TO PUMP WATER WITHIN A 10-15 KILOMETRE RADIUS AND PLANT CASSAVA AND RICE. WE HAVE TAKEN NOTE OF THE VARIOUS CHALLENGES THAT HAVE FACED THE PROGRAMME AND ARE WORKING TO ADDRESS THEM. WE NOTE THE TURN AROUND TIME FROM WHEN WE SOURCE INPUTS TO THE TIME FARMERS GET THEM FOR PLANTING NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED. FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BENEFITTING FROM THE PROGRAMME. DESPITE THIS POSITIVE INTERVENTION, OUR FARMERS CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH POOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR COMMUNICATION, TRANSPORT, ENERGY, UNRELIABLE METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION AND POOR HARVESTS, ALL OF WHICH ARE RISKY. MY Draft President’s Speech 5

GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO CREATE A CONDUSIVE POLICY ENVIRONMENT TO ENSURE THAT BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE TO ENABLE ALL PLAYERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR. FOOD SECURITY IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE FOR SPECULATION. IT IS THE CORE OF OUR SURVIVAL. WE WOULD NOT BE TALKNG OF OUR SUCCESS WITHOUT OUR PARTNERS WHO INCLUDE AGRO DEALERS, SEED, FERTLIZER AND CHEMICAL MANUFACTURERS, HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS, DONORS AND ALL OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS. WE ARE PROUD OF THE PRIVATE-PUBLIC SECTOR PARTNERSHIP FORGED THROUGH THIS PROGRAMME. OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA CAN LEARN FROM US. IN ADDITION, I PAY TRIBUTE TO THE FOOD AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES REGIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS NETWORK (FANRPAN) FOR THE POLICY SUPPORT AND EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH WHICH MY GOVERNMENT EMRACES AND ENCOURAGES. RESEARCH IS CRUCIAL TO AGRICULTURAL POLICY DEVELOPMENT. RESEARCH EVIDENCE IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT IN CONVINCING POLITICIANS TO LAND THE NECESSARY CLOUT IN POLICY FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION. I AM TOLD FANRPAN, REPRESENTED BY ITS COUNTRY NODE – CISANET - HAS SUPPORTED RESEARCH INTO THE AISP. THROUGH FANRPAN’S EFFORTS MULTI-STAKEHOLDER POLICY DIALOGUES HAVE BEEN HELD HERE IN MALAWI AND IN THE REGION TO SHARE EXPERIENCES ON THE BEST PRACTISES FOR CREATING A FOOD SECURE SOUTHERN AFRICA. THE AISP HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND DOCUMENTED BY VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND MEDIA, BUT I AM HAPPY TO SAY THROUGH FANRPAN, MALAWIANS HAVE TOLD THEIR OWN STORY IN A SHORT DOCUMENTARY AND A BOOKLET WHICH WILL BE EXPANDED INTO A BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED SOON. MALAWI NEEDS TO TELL ITS STORY FOR Draft President’s Speech 6