By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, August 16, Mana: Nsanje District Council Chairperson, Mike Kafalachi has appealed to community development structures to prioritize agriculture infrastructure in a bid to realize an increase in agricultural productivity and commercialization.

Kafalachi was speaking at the District Agriculture field day organized on Thursday at Gooke Irrigation Scheme in the area of Traditional Authority Mlolo.

The council chairperson observed that most developmental structures like the Area Development Committees dwell much on health and education structures, ignoring other equally important sector for the country’s economy.

“For our country to achieve Malawi 2063 Agenda pillar number 1, which is improved agricultural productivity and commercialization, there is need for governance structures to include agriculture infrastructures in our planning,” Kafalachi said.

He, therefore, disclosed that Nsanje District Council in its socio-economic has prioritized agricultural productivity as the district is either struck by dry spells or floods each year.

“We are promoting irrigation farming in all areas around Nsanje. I want to encourage the communities that were provided with irrigation schemes to put to good use the developmental structures,” he added.

Kafalachi, therefore, expressed disappointment with theft and vandalism of irrigation materials at the scheme in the district, saying it is undermining the vision of the district to achieve food security.

Director of Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources for Nsanje District Council, James Lichapa said the field day was organized to encourage farmers to follow modern ways of farming.

“We hope farmers have learnt a lot from this field day and we expect that they will implement it in their farming practice. We want farmers to take farming as a business so that we can achieve Malawi 2063 Agenda,” he added.

One of the farmers from Gooke village, Godwell Fella said the field day has been very informative as he has learnt modern ways of farming.

“I want to take farming as a business and I will follow whatever farming practices I have learnt today,” he added.

The field day was commemorated under the theme: “Enhanced integrated farming: A key to sustainable climate change resilience, food, nutrition and income security.”