By Innocent Chunga:
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale has said the government is committed to the promotion of irrigation farming, describing it as one of the tools for promoting food security in the country.
Kawale said this in Nkhotakota District on Saturday when he toured Chilingali and Bua irrigation schemes, which are in the area of Traditional Authority Malengachanzi and Senior Chief Mphonde, respectively.
The schemes were affected by floods in February this year.
“We are working hard to ensure that there are funds for the rehabilitation of the irrigation schemes.
“We are also committed to expanding irrigation schemes across the country so that the country can be meeting its food security goals,” Kawale said.
He lamented that while the country had over 400,000 hectares of land suitable for irrigation, only 125,000 hectares were being utilised.
Kawale was quick to admit that climate change, including recurring droughts and floods, had drastically reduced the country’s food production capacity.
“To counter this, the government is prioritising efforts to rehabilitate existing irrigation schemes and expand coverage to underutilised areas,” he said.
Kawale then urged farmers to embrace commercial farming.
On his part, Chilingali Water Users Association President Twaibu Maulana and Vice President for Bua Water Users Association Richard Mapemba urged the minister to help over 1,000 farmers that were affected by the February floods.
Both schemes, which cover a gross area of 490 hectares, need K2.9 billion for rehabilitation.
0 Comments