Women show the way with borehole fed irrigation

Women in Mulanje have shown that irrigation works as they are reaping huge yields through borehole fed small-scale irrigation farming.

The women who are based in villages under Traditional Authority Chikumbu in the district are benefiting from the sale of green vegetables which they produce through irrigation farming.

One of the women, Grace Luis of Sakhama Village said the villagers realised that they were not fully using the borehole well-wishers had drilled in their area.

They noted that a lot of water was being wasted at the borehole so they agreed to dig a deep well at the end of the borehole’s drainage in order to collect water and use it for irrigation.

“To our advantage some women around the borehole who have pieces of land around freely offered their land to be used for group irrigation farming,” said Luis.

The women have harvested twice since last year and they have made a lot money by selling the produce.

They agreed to be using some of the money in maintaining the borehole while the rest of the money is equally shared amongst themselves for domestic support.

However, the women want more land so that they can grow more vegetables.

Luis said they are negotiating with more people who own pieces of land that are closer to the borehole to offer them on rental basis.