We also need to encourage our farmers to work hard in order to produce high quality produce that can compete excessively on the international market. Since agriculture is the back bone of our nation’s economy, there is much need to implement irrigation farming in different portable areas in order to maximise production. But sometimes farmers are frustrated by the low prices on the market.

For instance, tomatoes grown during a rainy season in Balaka District where the harvest is plenty, can go as cheaply as 200 Kwacha per large woven basket which is an unfair price. The construction of a tomato sauce factory can be a relief since some farmers travel for long distances in search of better prices like going to Blantyre City where prices are better than at home. Others leave them to rot in the fields in frustration of the low prices.

Only if farmers are motivated by buying their produces at higher or fair prices, can they be determined to produce more high quality, since they will know that growing more high quality goods means more money.

We need to invest more in agriculture for high quality production. It is only high quality produce that can compete fairly on international market, thereby bringing much needed foreign currency to Malawi. In case of price frustration, it is the reason why farmers soak their groundnuts in water for weight gain before marketing in order to realise more profits. However, this has not gone well on international market as many tonnes of groundnuts are turned, soybeans and other produces discourage farmers to produce more and high quality produces.

In our public hospitals it has been a routine, recently it has caught the attention of the public that drugs are being smuggled out of many public hospitals so often. This has drawn back and frustrates the growth in the health sector. So if health personals are very responsible not to sell public drugs to the private clinics and pharmacies, then it might be a very good development.

Currently there is serious shortage of drugs in some hospitals. And government should make it possible that doctors and nurses are paid on time. It was not long ago when Lilongwe Central Hospital’s staff staged a strike because of not receiving their pay for some weeks. This is not welcome development since some patients may be critically ill and need urgent treatment. Paying the health personals on time can help avoid these unnecessary strikes as well as tragedies that might follow.

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Tell us: Do you think it’s right for health practitioners to strike?