By George Mponda

Karonga, May 31, Mana: Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Livingstonia has distributed 150 goats in a pass on scheme to 75 beneficiaries from Lupembe in Karonga.

In an interview after the handover ceremony at Kayuni Village in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu on Thursday, Synod Moderator Reverend Reuben Msowoya, said they do not only preach the gospel but also look after the welfare of people.

Msowaya said the program is intended to alleviate poverty since by rearing the livestock, families will have meat to eat or sell and get manure for their fields.

“In the first phase, 75 beneficiaries will receive two goats each and when they start multiplying they will be passing on the kids to other beneficiaries.

“We have also created 18 community pass on programme commitees which have been trained in basic livestock management to be looking after the goats," he said.

The committees have been supplied with one drug box which contains necessary medicines to be used to treat the livestock when they fall ill.

Director of Agriculture Services for Karonga District Council, Yaz Nyirenda, said the distribution of goats is an economic empowerment which is essential for most families.

"The economic status of most smallholder farmers in this area is low and the intervention to distribute goats here will help them get manure. Lupembe is a rain shadow area where the water holding capacity of the soil is low. With application of manure in their farms, water retention rate will improve and crops will start doing better,” Nyirenda said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mackson Myaba, from Mwaluwari Village in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu hailed CCAP Synod of Livingstonia for the goats saying they will be a stepping stone out of poverty.

The goats have been distributed under a three year Lupembe Food Security Project.

The Synod is implementing the project through its development arm, Synod of Livingstonia Development Department (SOLDEV), with over K460 million from Canadian Foodgrains Bank through the Presbyterian World Service and Development.