Malawi Hunger: New policy will promote irrigation farming – Chaponda

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The Malawi Government says it is making strides to promote irrigation farming as it has adopted a new National Irrigation Policy which will remove taxes on irrigation equipment.

According to Minister of Agriculture George Chaponda, the newly launched National Irrigation Policy which was introduced together with a new National Agriculture Policy will also attract investors.

Chaponda (L) can smile together with Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe.
Chaponda (L) can smile together with Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe (R).

“The new irrigation policy as well as the new agriculture policy will attract more investors to come in the country and invest in various sectors including agriculture,” said Chaponda.

He added that government will make sure that irrigation agriculture is enhanced in order to ensure that the country is food secure.

In the 2015/2016 growing season Malawi did not produce enough maize due to effects of the El Nino weather phenomenon and this led to many families facing hunger.

The hunger situation has since led to calls for government to encourage Malawians to use irrigation farming so that they should be able to grow crops throughout the year.

President Peter Mutharika also acknowledged the need for farmers to embrace irrigation farming when he launched the irrigation and agriculture policies last week.

Mutharika said Malawi can irrigate up to about 408,000 hectares but has only managed to develop 108,000 hectares for irrigation.