By Salome Gangire

Neno, April 20, Mana: Deputy Director in the Department of Crop Development under Ministry of Agriculture, Ida Mwato has commended Livelihood Improvement Programme (LIP) that Umodzi Consulting is implementing in Neno for promoting homestead farming.

Speaking on Friday at Matembe Cooperative Producers Marketing Limited in the area of Traditional Authority Mlauli when Ministries of agriculture, Finance and Trade officials visited Mlindi, Mfundazi and Matembe cooperatives which are demonstration sites under the LIP project to appreciate the impact of the project, Mwato said the organisation is complementing government efforts which currently is being promoted.

She said “This is a good initiative, as Ministry of agriculture we also promote integrated homestead farming and the project is encouraging farmers to have homestead garden in their homes,”

Mwato said with the project, a lot of farmers will be reached thereby contributing to the development of the country.

She said it is pleasing that members of cooperatives are benefiting in terms of nutrition but also cash as they sell surplus they grow thereby improving their well-being.

Umodzi Consulting Director of Business Development, Frank Mkumba said the organisation with USD 4.5 million funding from Helmsley Charitable Trust through the United States African Development Foundation is implementing a three-year LIP in Neno working with 14 cooperatives.

“LIP identified 14 farmer organisations aligned with health facilities around the district to set up community-owned Integrated farming system demonstration units in the communities that are part of “Partners in Health” (PIH) package of Essential Non communicable Diseases (NCDs) Interventions” Mkumba said.

He said the aim of the project is to help address socio-economic, food and nutritional challenges in the district especially to people with NCDs.

“The programme seeks to improve patient outcomes, their livelihood and building strong resilience of its members and their families.” he said.

Mkumba then said the demonstration units serve as farmer field schools where programme participants learn skills, technologies, and techniques in managing agricultural activities adding participants are encouraged to replicate the demonstration units at the household level to scale impacts.

He added.” the project has had an impact in the district as beneficiaries have replicated the technologies they are learning at the demonstration site in their homes by having backyard gardens where they grow various vegetables and fruits and they are also rearing livestock’s.

“4, 417 participants are benefiting from the project in the district of which 2,268 NCD patients and of these 291 are diabetic patient with type 1 and type 2.

Chairperson of Matembe Cooperative Producers Limited, Mighty Feremu said the project is helping them to improve their nutrition status as they are growing different kinds of crops and rearing animals.

He added that the project is also improving their livelihood as they sell excess crops they grow and buy shares at the cooperative.