By Zenak Matekenya

Dedza, February 7, Mana:  Households displaced by a power generation company in Dedza, Golomoti, have hailed the company’s livelihood restoration intervention program for its impact on their lives.

The company, called JMC Power, had a Power electricity generation project in Dedza in the year 2021 at Golomoti, Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachindamoto.

Following compensation for their displacement, JMC Power engaged the households in a Livelihood Restoration Project, where participants received training, farm inputs, goats and chickens.

Chairperson of the affected households Joseph Francisco on Monday told Mana that displaced 163 households have successfully ventured into agribusiness and other economic activities.

"Integrated training series in agriculture and village savings and loans equipped us with essential skills, enabling us to transform farming into a viable business model. We can now plan our farming activities from land preparation to marketing,” he said.

Francisco said using modern technologies in production of maize, groundnuts, vegetables and other crops, participants have constructed decent houses, achieved food security, and met their basic household needs.

As part of the project, JCM Power empowered 101 participants with literacy and numeracy skills enabling them to better comprehend business concepts and enhance their entrepreneurial effectiveness.

Agriculture extension development coordinator for Golomoti Extension Planning Area Martha Kumwela said an assessment by her office revealed significant improvements in food security among households participating in the program.

“This success is attributed to the adoption of climate-smart agriculture technologies including single seed maize planting and production of Mbeya organic fertilizer,” she said.

Dedza District Community Development Officer, Thanira Gondwe, commended local leadership for a well collaborative program implementation.

“This is an outstanding initiative in responding to development needs for the community. I extend my sincere gratitude to the chiefs, participants and all stakeholders for wholeheartedly supporting this development,” he said.

He hailed the participants for their dedication to acquiring literacy and numeracy skills emphasizing their critical role in driving development.

He pledged to provide reading materials from his office to help sustain the attained literacy skills, as this is a crucial step, given that the district's literacy level stands at 56.8 percent.

Golomoti JMC Power Liaison Officer, Feston Paliani, said the company had bought land from the households and there was a need for it to give support knowing the whole process affects people and it requires a restoration intervention.

JCM Power produces about 20 megawatts which it sells to the Electricity Supply Commission of Malawi (ESCOM).