By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, December 29, Mana: Member of Parliament for Kasungu South East Constituency, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, says the tendency of subleasing land designated for crop cultivation has largely contributed to food insecurity amongst households in Kasungu District.

Chiponda says frustrations by farmers over poor commodity prices during the previous government forced communities to sell their gardens as agriculture became unprofitable.

She said this Saturday when she led a relief maize distribution exercise at Chinkhoma, in the area of Senior Chief Njombwa in the district.

“I must point out that one factor that has largely contributed to food insecurity here in Kasungu is that people do not want to cultivate crops and opt to sublease their land to others.

“This is because, during the previous government, farming was not profitable as prices for agricultural produce were low despite that people were willing and working hard to produce; so the option for them has been subleasing their land,” Chiponda said.

She challenged the relief maize beneficiary households to stop selling land and get down to serious farming saying the Malawi Congress Party-led government has passion to revitalize agriculture as evidenced by “good prices being offered for any crop on the market”.

“We are thankful to President Lazarus Chakwera that there is a food distribution exercise taking place across the country including Kasungu to ease the hunger that is there.

“But we want to encourage these beneficiaries and everyone else that under this government, every crop attracts good prices. If you cultivate maize, soybean, tobacco and everything, you are assured of selling at good prices so we must stop subleasing our land,” said Chiponda, who is also Minister of Health.  

She also called for fairness in the distribution of relief food, asking chiefs to refrain from favouritism when choosing beneficiaries.

Group Village Head Chambwe lauded Chiponda for the donation describing it as a timely gift that will ease food pressures amongst the receiving households.

He said as chefs, they will ensure that only deserving families are enlisted as beneficiaries so that the food response serves its intended purpose.

Government, through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, is distributing maize across the country targeting families that were affected by the El Nino weather phenomenon, which affected harvest last season.

In Kasungu, over 50, 000 households have been earmarked to receive relief maize at least four times to take them through to the next harvest.