Jewish organisations’ foundation impresses on Malawi to invest heavily in irrigation farming

* Commends establishment of mega farms as the solution to ending food insecurity in Malawi

* We need to collaborate and coordinate and build resilient food systems and invest in agriculture sector

* Which has potential to transform people’s lives and achieving sustainable development goals

By Lisa Kadango Malango, MANA in New York

At a meeting with President Lazarus Chakwera, Chief Executive Officer of Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations, William Daroff said there is a need for Malawi to seriously consider investing heavily in irrigation farming as it has potential to boost the country’s food security that will translate into meaningful development.

Daroff commended Malawi Government for the establishment of mega farms, saying the initiative is the solution to ending food insecurity in Malawi.

“We need to collaborate and coordinate and build resilient food systems and invest in agriculture sector which has potential to transform people’s lives and achieving sustainable development goals,” he said.

Daroff said Israel and Malawi have maintained cordial relations defined by the outcomes that benefit the two nations in areas of agriculture, water and health — hence the need to deepen the ties.

On his part, President Chakwera said his government is committed to strengthen its relationship with Israel for inclusive and sustainable development.

Chakwera told the grouping’s delegation of the need to join hands and collaborate as Malawi is making efforts to finding practical solutions to recover from Cyclone Freddy devastation which affected the country early this year.

He stressed the need for partners to continue supporting Malawi to build resilience against climate shocks.

“Some of the practical solutions will require the interventions and relations which Malawi has built over time with Israel and multilateral institutions to facilitate the quick recovery and reconstruction,” he said.

The Conference of the Presidents of Major Jewish Organisations was established in 1955 with the aim of giving the Jewish communities and other countries a voice.

Minister of Natural Resources & Climate Change, Michael Usi said Israel is geared to explore ways on how best irrigation farming would be enhanced in the country.

He added that the organisation is impressed with Chakwera’s vision of turning Malawi into the food basket through commercial agriculture.

During a round table discussion with Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director General, Dr. Qu Dongyu last week, Chakwera said he was optimistic to establish more mega farms to achieve what is expected in the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite the challenges Malawi is currently facing.

He called for collective effort with stakeholders to prioritize agriculture modernization as a catalyst of food security as Malawi is fostering on establishment of mega farms as one way of boosting productivity.

“Mega farms have the potential to transform Malawi’s economic growth if supported fully by the human resource capacity enhancing resource mobilization, improving agricultural practices as well as addressing issues that limit productivity,” he said.

He assured the FAO team that Malawi has put in place mechanisms that will improve farming productivity as one way of improving food security amidst challenges of disasters and crisis.

Chakwera added that Tropical Cyclone Freddy has heavily impacted more on Malawian’s lives, saying it has contributed to food shortage to a huge number of households — hence the need for FAO to assist.

The FAO team assured Malawi of its continued support adding that the organization is pleased with developing ways of the establishment of mega farms to defeat hunger.

The round table discussion was focused on new approaches and innovations that can assist and promote food security in Malawi.