As poverty, hunger hit Malawi: Zomba residents switch to irrigation farming

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Malawi-irrigation

The effects of hunger that has fueled poverty in Malawi has pushed Zomba residents to switch to irrigation farming.

The 2015 devastating floods that hit the country’s agricultural sector, pushed for a deceleration of economic growth to 2.9 percent in 2015 down from 5.7 percent in 2014.

The dry spells that came after the floods saw nearly half of the country’s population being food insecure, a development that increased poverty levels in the country.

Christopher Mtima
Christopher Mtima: Irrigation is way to go.

Taking a resilient action towards poverty in the country, Zomba residents through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) have rolled out irrigation projects to ensure food security.

The residents under Community Based Organizations (CBOs) disclosed that the irrigation projects have changed their economic status arguing that they are able to produce food enough for their families and for the markets.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi24, Chirimba Women and Children Support Organization coordinator Christopher Mtima said the project will improve economic status at a household level.

“This is our first year and we hope that in the coming years we are to have more fruitful fruits out of this irrigation project, but you can now see that people around here have already started benefiting from this initiative,” said Mtima.

While commending the project, Chief Chipande for the area called for need to have more projects in the district arguing that it will help in transforming many residents.

Malawi government through DoDMA launched irrigation projects where among other things residents are given treadle pumps and helped in the construction of dykes.

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17 Comments

  1. kkkkkk kozekani ku Zomba ko pompano kubwera nduna ya za ulimu ndi a Mbc tv kudzakujamburani kuti apange ma allowace ambiri kenako azibokera kt boma likulimbikitsa ulimi wam’thirira pofuna kugonjetsa njara.

  2. Malawi is not a poor country. we just fail to do something with the resources we have.Most of the young educated individuals view farming as a village, dirty and hard work.we wait for the poor, uneducated ones to grow for us,when they even fail to grow enough for themselves. BIG UP TO THOSE PATRIOTS. YOU THE MEDIA,Malawi is not poor, we are just poor in sharing the resources. people are very rich while others are very poor.

  3. A Good development in as far as poverty reduction per househood level is concerned! …
    Let’s use our natural resources wisely. ..probably we can electrify this in all rural areas where water is just being polluted for nothing. ..

  4. We should not usually depend on donas for us to have food, God blessed us with rivers, and fertile soil, we can use it for irrigation, and we must also practice intercroping to ensure food security for the whole year, we usually complain about hunger just because we have that mentality of depending on season crops like maize as our only food, we forgt that we have more crops that can also replace maize when that maize is inavalable or insufficient!

  5. Hala Zomba Thats The Only Way Out!!!We Need Pipo Who Can Help Themselves Rather Than Waiting 4 Aid Mulungu Amathandiza Ozithandiza Okha!

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