* Shifted from December 2024 to mid 2025 due to changes in the construction of the intake at Kapichira Dam, which got washed away during Cyclone Ana in 2022
* Other challenges locking the programme include US$150 million deficit which has been presented to the Ministry of Finance
Maravi Express
The first phase of Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) is expected to roll out around mid next year benefiting Kambadwe and Mwana Alirenji farming cooperatives closer to the intake at Shire River’s Kapichira Dam.
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A report on government’s Facebook page quotes Project Coordinator, Coordinator, Stanley Khaila as attributing the shifting of rolling out time from December 2024 to mid 2025 due to changes in the construction of the intake at Kapichira Dam, which got washed away during Cyclone Ana in 2022.
Other challenges locking the programme include financial deficit and principal secretary responsible for irrigation in the Ministry of Agriculture, Jeoffrey Mamba is quoted as saying they have presented to the Ministry of Finance and cooperating partners to address a US$150 million deficit to ensure smooth implementation of the flagship program.
Last week, Malawi News Agency (MANA) reported that the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture also raised the agency to allocate more funds to the programme for it to be completed within the scheduled timeline.
MANA quoted the Committee’s vice-chairperson, Ulemu Chilapondwa highlighting that the committee is happy with tremendous progress of the project but more funds are needed to speed up the project.
He added that about 96% of the construction over the 6km stretch is complete, which gives the hope that the project is indeed moving forward.
“However, the committee also discovered that the project requires significantly more funds to avoid delays,” Chilapondwa said. “This will ensure it is completed on time, allowing farmers to begin accessing it as planned.”
He urged government to be committed on funding the project as one way for preventing stoppages of the project, saying: “In our report, we urge the government to ensure that funds are provided promptly to prevent any interruptions or delays in progress.
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“Timely funding is crucial to completing the project on schedule,” said Chilapondwa, adding that first phase is expected to be completed in December so that farmers should start growing crops along the stretch.”
The SVTP is one of the development projects which President Lazarus Chakwera inspected in Chikwawa District last week and he assured farmers that the project will in due course start bearing fruits which are going to transform their livelihoods.
He also inspected the SVTP outlet 1, where the construction of the water treatment plant for the project is underway, which signifies government’s unwavering dedication to delivering sustainable water and sanitation services for household and other industrial purposes.
The water treatment plant is expected to empower the Southern Region Water Board to satisfy the water supply requirements of approximately 43,052 individuals in the region.
Since the commencement of the project in April 2020, different structures have been completed including 77 out of 80 drainage structures, 20 out of 28 traffic bridges, 18 out of 22 pedestrian bridges, 1 fish barrier structure, 1 cofferdam at Kapichira Dam, 1 flume, 5 siphons, over 20kms lined/paved, and 63 out of 108 animal escape routes, among others.
Meanwhile, environmental experts led by the Environmental Affairs Department are assessing the invasive alien species in the Lower Shire districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje to determine the risk posed and how best the species can be managed under the SVTP.
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Invasive alien species are plants or animals that have been transported outside their natural home range and introduced to new locations either intentionally or accidentally.
These species are usually able to reproduce and spread quickly, often outcompeting native plant and animal species for food water and space.
Other ecological impacts of invasive alien species include predation on native species, disruption on food chains and ecosystems and alteration of habitat structure and composition.
The assessment will, consequently, help to determine and prioritise the high-risk species, the pathways through which they were introduced into the two districts, the species potential to spread and the risk they have or are likely to have on the environment, agriculture, fisheries, animal and humans.
As part of preventing the infiltration of Tiger fish into the Shire River up to Lake Malawi, the STVP provided for the construction of the fish barrier structure.
Tiger fish barrier
Chief environmental officer in the Environmental Affairs Department, Mphatso Kalemba is quoted as saying the technical meeting held in Thyolo developed a preliminary consensus list of invasive alien species pathways with the overall objective of developing a management plan.
The meeting emphasised on good collaboration among stakeholders to come up with a comprehensive management plan that will assist in dealing with high-risk invasive species in Lower Shire.
Kalemba said, if left unchecked, the invasive alien species have the potential to negatively affect the good work that is being done to improve agricultural productivity in the Lower Shire landscape through the SVTP.
For instance, water hyacinth, locally known as namasupuni, invades irrigation channels, dams, ponds, floodplains, swamps, wetlands, lakes and slow-flowing rivers such that if left unchecked could affect agricultural production in Shire Valley.
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The SVTP, a project of immense historical significance, was conceptualised in the 1940s as part of Nyasaland government’s development blueprint of that time, known as the Shire Valley Project.
This also formed a foundation for development of Malawi for the Malawi government and the plan was aimed at stabilising water levels in Lake Malawi through construction of the barrage in Liwonde, a hydro power station (Nkula) and an irrigation scheme in the Shire Valley.
The first two initiatives succeeded however, the construction of the scheme had to undergo different studies over the years and 80 years later, the project was launched in March, 2020 and construction started in April, 2020.
The following are highlights of construction:
