By Serah Chikwapula:
Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is promoting the setting up of river weir and water harvesting structures, which it describes as key to propping up people’s incomes.
In a project report, the United Nations agency indicates that such initiatives are being promoted in Ntcheu District, among others.
Meanwhile, community members under Tsangano Extension Planning Area (EPA) in the Central Region district have lauded the initiative.
One of the project beneficiaries, Joseph Mtengouvalenji from Ndagoma Village, Traditional Authority (TA) Kwataine, said during a media tour of their structures that they were assured of stable income.
“We were fetching water from a long distance and then using it for irrigation. The result was that production was poor.
“Now, following the establishment of a pond, we are harvesting crops twice a year. We harvest crops such as maize, Irish potatoes, tomatoes and bananas,” Mtengouvalenji said.
Over 20 households are benefitting from the dam in the community.
Estina George from Liyada Village, TA Mpando, said they had been harvesting crops three times a year.
“Previously, largely due to climate change, food production was negatively affected. Now, and largely due to the construction of a pond, we are harvesting enough yield,” George said.
Meanwhile, Ntcheu District Forestry Officer Clotrilda Kandota has urged farmers to be planting vetiver and trees such as Mtangatanga and Griesidia.
She said the trees control waterflow.
The project, dubbed Areeca, is funded by the German government and is implemented by the Government of Malawi with technical support from FAO.
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