Government scales up irrigation farming by allocating K100 billion

* The dry spells in the country in the past months of the rain season caused by El Niño, need to be countered strategically

* By employing measures such as irrigation and collaborating with already existing mega farmers from across the country

By Fostina Mkandawire, MANA

Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale on Thursday announced that Government has allocated K100 billion towards intensification of irrigation farming through mega farms as a way of ensuring that maize reserves remain sufficient throughout the year.

He announced this in the area of Senior Chief Khombedza in Salima District when the Minister inspected a 100-hectare mega farm, saying for the next six months, government will scale up irrigation farming and that the Ministry of Finance has already authorised financing for the project.

He said the dry spells in the country in the past months of the rain season caused by El Niño, need to be countered strategically by employing measures such as irrigation and collaborating with already existing mega farmers from across the country.

“Rain-fed agriculture will not give us enough maize,” he said. “Already with the dry spells that have been experienced this farming season, we should anticipate food shortages.

“We need to improvise with irrigation farming so that we can be harvesting three times a year through already existing commercial farmers.

“Ministry of Agriculture will provide technical expertise and  resources to Malawians who want to venture into irrigation farming, because we have decentralised our system to empower Malawians.”

Kawale further said he was impressed with the maize production at the maize farm in Salima, adding that such initiatives should be supported because the maize will be channeled towards the country’s grain reserves.

“What Greenbelt initiative has done in this area is commendable — they have employed community members to work in this field in the long run they are financially empowering them and giving them a livelihood,” he said.

Board chairperson for Greenbelt Authority, Peter Kosamu said government’s initiative to scale up irrigation is commendable and expressed willingness to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture.

He said Greenbelt Authority has spared 1,000 hectares of land toward irrigation which need about K10 billion for the project to materialise.

“We have a land closer to the lake already piped which we are willing to use for the production of maize,” he said. “Whether we will manage to get the full amount or not the land needs to be utilised, therefore as an authority we are ready to partner with government.”

Kosamu added that the maize from Salima’s Chikwawa mega farm and other mega farms across the country will be sold to the National Food Reserve.

A beneficiary, who works at the mega farm, Kerita Lyson commended Greenbelt initiative, saying she is now independent and no longer depends on her relations to take care of her four children because every Fridays she receives her wages amounting to K16,100.

Lyson said through the wages she has managed to rent one hectare of land on which she has cultivated maize and she is assured of food sufficiency once harvested.