By Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, August 24, Mana: Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, Charles Kalemba on Saturday toured Nsanje District’s Makhapa Irrigation Scheme, which is not in operation due to vandalism of equipment and disclosed that government will revive the scheme to improve food production.

The commissioner therefore appealed to Nsanje District Council to invest much in agriculture sector for improved food production citing irrigation farming as solution to food insecurity.

Kalemba expressed worry over the nonfunctional solar-powered facility, adding that Nsanje and some other districts fail to prioritise agricultural investments yet food insecurity remains a continuous challenge.

“Food insecurity is the common problem in most districts’ social-economic profiles. Surprisingly in their development plans, there is nothing to deal with hunger situation in their districts, food insecurity will remain if councils ignore investing in agricultural infrastructures such as irrigation schemes,” said Kalemba

The commissioner therefore disclosed plans to revive Makhapa Irrigation Scheme and said there was need to bring in a new committee to manage the scheme for sustainability.

“DODMA will support with the irrigation equipment to beef up the remaining equipment. I would like to see communities and the District Council jointly working together to rehabilitate canals,” he added.

He told people at Makhapa Irrigation Scheme that government will remove all the people in the scheme once the scheme gets vandalized again.

Senior Chief Mlolo hailed Kalemba for touring the scheme and said there was a need for members of the community to reconstitute the committee so that it should manage the scheme for sustainable food security.

“It is very disappointing that we failed to manage the scheme. We are glad that government has assured us that it will revive the scheme. We are going to protect the scheme from vandalism,” said Mlolo.

Member of Parliament for Nsanje North, Enock Chizuzu said reviving Makhapa Irrigation Scheme was a way to go as this was the only way to deal with hunger in the area.

“We have fertile land, and we're not supposed to suffer from hunger. This irrigation scheme will help to end hunger that mostly hit my constituency hard,” the legislator added.

The 150 hectares Makhapa Irrigation Scheme was revamped by DODMA in 2021 and was vandalized in 2023 forcing it to shut down for growing maize, rice and other crops