“At the Nutrition for Growth Summit, held in London this month, Malawi became a member of the G8’s New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition,” the country’s president, Joyce Banda, writes in The Guardian’s “Poverty Matters Blog,” adding, “This is a tremendous opportunity to accelerate my government’s efforts to generate greater investment in agricultural development.” She states, “The focus of my first year [in office] has been very much on repairing the damage of the past — restoring the economy, as well as democracy and good governance.” According to Banda, the New Alliance “is important as my government doesn’t just view agriculture as an essential means to attaining household and national food security; we see it as a business through which our farmers can generate wealth, improve their livelihoods and transform Malawi’s economy.” She notes, “Under our New Alliance co-operation framework, more than 20 companies — most of them domestic — announced their intention to invest more than $100 million (£63 million) in the agricultural sector. These investments will occur across the supply chain, including seed production, crop diversification and expansion of agro-processing facilities.” She continues, “I have a clear vision for my country — one that sees us move beyond poverty to a future rich with hope and opportunities, where Malawians enjoy freedom and dignity, and where they are able to maximize their potential, socially, economically and politically” (6/18).