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Malawi has today, 7th January 2009, been elected into the Executive Committee of the Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization (AARDO) at the ongoing 16th General Session of the body at a Conference which started on 4th January and will run up to 9th January 2009.
Hon. George Chaponda M.P., Minister of Local Government Rural Development, leading a three-man delegation to the Conference won the hearts of the members with his presentation on Malawi’s achievements in rural development. In his address to the Conference, he highlighted some of Malawi’s achievements in Food Security, Development of Rural Growth Centres, Women Empowerment Programmes, Malawi Rural Finance Development Fund (MARDEF), among others of which, he said, “were all the brain child of His Excellency the President of Malawi H.E. Ngwazi Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika.” The Minister further informed the gathering that Malawi, through the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS), had achieved a lot and singled out the One Village One Product (OVOP) Programme, being championed by his Ministry, as one of the success story for Malawi under the key priority areas of integrated Rural Development.
Hon. Dr. Chaponda further informed the Conference that Malawi is one of the few countries that have achieved Food Security through a deliberate Targeted Input Programme, which is premised on providing rural farmers with subsidised farm inputs to ameliorate the high cost of inputs, which is one of the main hindrances to agricultural production for the underprivileged and the poor.
The Conference was full of admiration for Malawi’s pragmatic approach to rural development programmes focusing on Food Security and Women Empowerment Programmes among others. The Conference also took cognisance of the Government’s achievements in good governance and accountability.
The Minister also conveyed profound sentiments to the people and Government of India on behalf of people and Government of Malawi on the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, where over 170 people lost their lives.
In a related development, the Minister had a separate meeting with his counterpart, Minister of Rural Development. He praised H.E. Ngwazi Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika for his visionary leadership, which has transformed Malawi into a beehive of development within a short period. The Minister was pleased to learn that both H.E. Ngwazi Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika and Hon. Dr. George Chaponda graduated from Delhi University.
Malawi is a new member of AARDO, having joined the organization in 2007. AARDO came into being on 31st March, 1962 at a Conference held in Cairo, Egypt when the constitution forming AARDO was adopted by five countries, namely Egypt, India, Japan, Libya and Malaysia. The organization’s main objective is to explore collectively opportunities for coordination of efforts for promoting welfare and eradication of hunger, illiteracy, disease and poverty amongst rural people.
MALAWI HIGH COMMISSION
NEW DELHI, INDIA
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