Lazy chiefs accused of contributing to hunger crisis

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hunger malawi

Farmers in Blantyre say traditional leaders in the district are lazy people who rely on handouts from their subjects.

The farmers say the conduct of chiefs is frustrating farming and has led to hunger in the country.   

The claims were made on Tuesday during a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the District Agriculture Office for Blantyre aimed to engage farmers and stakeholders.

“Farming is not progressing because our village headmen are not exemplary farmers. Most of them are lazy as they survive on handouts. They are not models to the people they serve,” said Yesaya Phiri, who was representing Traditional Authority (TA) Kunthembwe farmers.

hunger malawi
Malawi hunger. (Photo Credit, Dan Church Aid.

Justin Hassan, a farmer from T/A Chigaru said: “Most farmers who are practicing conservation agriculture are not assisted by chiefs when they complain of goats grazing their farms. This is very discouraging to farmers as their efforts are in vain.”

Martha Barton of Chigaru EPA said: “Farmers stopped cultivating cassava and sweet potatoes because of goats that encroach their farms. When they report to the chiefs, nothing tangible comes out of it because most chiefs are guilty of the same as their own goats and cows do the same.”

The meeting resolved that all the area stakeholder committees should meet with their Traditional Authorities to call for the formulation and enforcement of by-laws by village headmen.