The African Institute for Corporate Citizenship (AICC) has called on government to fully empower the Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation (ADMARC) so it can adequately help farmers in the country when the need arises.

AICC Chief Executive Officer Felix Lombe, raised the alarm while commenting on how poorly ADMARC handled cotton market this year when international buyers pulled out of the market while it was in full swing due to Covid-19.

Lombe said that while government is looking to boost cotton production by initiating reforms at Cotton Council of Malawi it should also look at ways to boost ADMARC which plays a critical role in bailing out farmers by buying their crops.

“Reforms need to ensure that ADMARC is empowered, it is operating commercially as it is stipulated but at the same time ensuring that it is able to buy all the produce,” said Lombe.

2020 has turned out to be a bad year for cotton farmers as the Covid-19 pandemic has left many farmers destitute since they have not sold their produce as buyers pulled out of the market and ADMARC did not do so well in appeasing this burden.