Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Caroline Ashley, Editor on June 15, 2012 at 9:51

Thanks very much for this Georgie.  

How ironic that the Secretary of State was questioned back in London about investment opportunities such as in mangoes.   BIF, funded by DFID, is of course already supporting Malawi Mangoes, investing in the first large scale fruit processing plant in Malawi.  And a renewable-energy-powered one at that. http://businessinnovationfacility.org/page/malawi-mangoes-farm-plan...

There is clearly growing interest in private sector investment, as well as donor support, in the new political and economic context.  All the more scope for an inclusive business approach that brings the commercial opportunities and social solutions together.

Permalink Reply by Karen Smith on June 15, 2012 at 11:17

I thought the reference to mangoes was clearly about MM!!  But unless you were clued up on Malawi you wouldn't have realised that!

Caroline Ashley, Editor said:

Thanks very much for this Georgie.  

How ironic that the Secretary of State was questioned back in London about investment opportunities such as in mangoes.   BIF, funded by DFID, is of course already supporting Malawi Mangoes, investing in the first large scale fruit processing plant in Malawi.  And a renewable-energy-powered one at that. http://businessinnovationfacility.org/page/malawi-mangoes-farm-plan...

There is clearly growing interest in private sector investment, as well as donor support, in the new political and economic context.  All the more scope for an inclusive business approach that brings the commercial opportunities and social solutions together.

Permalink Reply by Crag Hardie on June 17, 2012 at 21:17

To clear this up. The MP who asked the question was one of the MP's who visited Malawi and came to MM's offices. He was obviously querying what or why CDC are not doing anything in Malawi. I think it is unfortunate that Andrew Mitchell feels there are no 'reliable local interlocutors'

Permalink Reply by Karen Smith on June 22, 2012 at 11:33

On the subject of the UK's ideas for supporting development in Malawi, this latest parliamentary brief encourages the UK government to engage more with policies to improve the competitiveness of Malawi’s exports, including supporting the NES and ideas such as reducing taxes on fuel, supporting contract farming, subsidising irrigation technologies and routing aid through infrastructure banks to facilitate capital investments in projects.