Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Charles Mchacha visited irrigation schemes in Blantyre and Thyolo on Monday where he assured farmers that government will continue supporting them so that they are able to produce more than once a year.
According to Mchacha, his ministry will support farmers through identification of markets and provision irrigation farming and inputs.
The Malawi News Agency reported that Mchacha who was accompanied by Deputy Minister Ester Majaza visited Matiti Irrigation scheme in Blantyre which is 27 hectares and Lowa Magulula irrigation scheme which is 12 hectares in Thyolo.
At Lowa Magulula, he noted that some community members had stolen solar panels that were being used to pump water for the scheme.
Mchacha called upon the farmers to own the irrigation scheme as they are the main beneficiaries of the project.
“What people must know is that when they receive things like solar panels and fertilizers, they are supposed to take the responsibility of looking after these things.
“Once a project is handed over to them there is no way anyone in government can come back claim it back, so it’s really sad to see people stealing things that were meant for their own good, if found the long arm of justice will take its course,” he said.
A farmer at Lowa Magulula, Berita Bestala expressed gratitude to government for continued support especially at the irrigation scheme.
“As an elderly woman, I used to find it difficult to irrigate my piece of land however with the coming in of the solar powered irrigation scheme farming become easy as I just open water in the canal to feed into my parcel of land,” she said.
