By Jones Gadama
The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) is set to establish a committee aimed at ensuring all products and services from Malawi meet international standards. This move comes as some local goods face rejection in the global market due to quality concerns.
MBS Director of Quality Assurance, Gloria Meleka, revealed the plan during the launch of a series of ISO/Casco stakeholders engagement meetings in Blantyre.
Meleka emphasized the importance of aligning local products with international standards, citing the need for Malawi to tap into global market opportunities.
The proposed committee will play a crucial role in ensuring that products and services from Malawi are competitive and acceptable in the international market.
The MBS has been working tirelessly to promote standardization and quality assurance in Malawi.
According to Meleka, the decision to establish the committee is a response to the challenges faced by local businesses in accessing international markets due to substandard products.
“Some services and products from Malawi are not accepted internationally, hence this decision,” she said.
The MBS has already made significant strides in promoting quality standards among local businesses.
In March, the bureau reported a 102% increase in local quality product certification schemes, with 411 companies certified, including 235 new entrants, mostly from the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.
This growth underscores the increasing awareness among businesses of the importance of adhering to quality standards.
Participants at the ISO/Casco stakeholders engagement meeting welcomed the initiative, recognizing its potential to boost the country’s exports.
Victor Ndlovu from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences described the awareness meetings as crucial, saying they would pave the way for the country to produce goods that meet international standards.
The engagement meetings are part of the MBS’s efforts to sensitize stakeholders on the importance of quality standards and the role of the bureau in promoting standardization and quality assurance.
By engaging with stakeholders, the MBS aims to ensure that all parties are aligned with its vision of promoting high-quality products and services that can compete in the global market.
The MBS’s efforts to promote quality standards are expected to have a positive impact on the country’s economy.
By producing high-quality products that meet international standards, Malawian businesses can increase their competitiveness in the global market, leading to increased exports and revenue growth.
Davilin Chokazinga, a senior official at the MBS, noted that certified companies that meet the required standards would not only improve the country’s export trade but also contribute to increased tax revenues and foreign exchange earnings.
“Quality and standards adherence should be a priority to tap from international market opportunities,” he emphasized.
The establishment of the committee is a significant step towards promoting economic growth and development in Malawi.
By ensuring that local products meet international standards, the country can increase its exports, attract foreign investment, and create jobs.
The MBS’s efforts to promote quality standards are aligned with the country’s vision of becoming an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation, as outlined in the Malawi 2063 vision.
Accreditation and conformity assessment are critical in supporting this vision by providing a trusted platform for defining, developing, and verifying requirements for products and services.
The MBS’s plan to establish a committee to ensure that all products and services from Malawi meet international standards is a welcome move.
By promoting quality standards and competitiveness, the country can increase its exports, attract foreign investment, and promote economic growth and development.
