After two years of waiting, the 7th Africa-wide Agriculture Extension Week has kicked off in Lilongwe, Malawi. This event, which brings together over 1,000 extension and advisory actors, is a leading continental platform for experience sharing, synergies, and developing new solutions to Africa’s emerging issues in agriculture.
The week is being commemorated under the theme ‘Rebranding Extension for Enhanced Public/Private Sector Driven Commercialisation, Industrialisation, and Inclusive Food Systems’.
The Ministry of Agriculture is hosting the week in collaboration with the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) and the Malawi Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (MaFAAS), which has attracted delegates from within and beyond Africa.
Officiating at the event’s grand opening, Malawi’s Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale said agriculture extension workers are crucial for the development of agriculture on the African continent.
Kawale said Rebranding Extension for a Thriving, Inclusive, and Modern Agricultural Future is all about making extension exciting and accessible.
“It’s about using mobile apps to reach young farmers, empowering women with new skills, and partnering with businesses to grow agriculture,” he said.
Hon Kawale observed that extension workers, are the heart of agricultural development and a bridge that turns ideas into reality, helping farmers feed nations.
“To our friends from Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and across the continent, your stories inspire us.
We’ve heard of your mobile extension apps and farmer cooperatives, and we’re eager to hear more. This week, please share what works and build a stronger Africa together,” he said.AFAAS Executive Director, Silim Nahdy hailed Malawi for hosting the week.
Malawi’s Principal Secretary for Irrigation in the Ministry of Agriculture Geoffrey Mamba said the Malawi Government appreciates the role of extension workers towards the development of the country’s agriculture sector.According to Mamba, between March 11 and March this year, Agriculture Minister Kawale physically interfaced with each and every agriculture development officer in Malawi hearing out their efforts as frontline staff and also their challenges.
Dr Silim Nnadhy the AFAAS Executive Director, The Africa Wide Agricultural Extension Week (AAEW) is an international event that brings together averagely 600 participants from across Africa and the World to deliberate on a selected strategic theme in agricultural extension and advisory services (AEAS) for sustainable development in Africa.
“Its purpose is to facilitate processes for improving the use of knowledge, technologies and innovations by agricultural value chain actors to achieve their individual and national development goals.”adds Dr Silim
he adds that Beyond thematic debates, the AFAAS AEW is a unique avenue for sharing experiences and learning between professionals from different backgrounds, strengthening interactions with policy-makers and investors and developing fruitful partnerships.
Dr Paul Fatch, AFAAS Board chair, said the AFAAS AEW is also meant to discuss new developments, emerging needs in capacity development and defining new directions in agricultural extension and advisory services for the coming years.
