By Margaret Kalua

Nkhata Bay, July 23, 2023: District Social Welfare Officer for Nkhatabay, Macsencie Chagomera says early childhood development (ECD) education is a strong foundation for the fulfilment of Malawi 2063.

Speaking on Friday during a graduation ceremony at God's Favor School, one of the ECD centers at Chintheche in Nkhatabay, Chagomerana said early education grooms’ children into responsible citizens from a tender age.

He said: "By 2063, these are the people who will be in leadership positions so this is a right time to sharpen their minds and make sure we put them on the right track. If we teach them at a tender age, we are assured that the 2063 agenda is achievable.”

He called upon parents to complement the care givers’ efforts by teaching their children at home when they knock off from school, saying through collaboration between caregivers and parents, children get knowledge easily and quickly.

District Education Management Information Officer for Nkhatabay, Michael Gondwe, said the district is making progress in ECD despite facing numerous challenges including poor learning facilities, lack of motivation for care givers and inadequate teaching and learning resources.

Gondwe appealed for more investment in care givers particularly in areas of training and provision of necessary support and motivation to them.

Director for God's Favor School, Dollar Banda said the aim of her school is to complement government’s efforts in providing ECD, saying while it is a paying nursery school, there are also some children from poor families who learn for free.

By George Mponda

Mzuzu, August 7, Mana: Board Chairperson for Mzuzu E-Hub, Julius Ng'oma has called on stakeholders to be supporting young entrepreneurs as a way of promoting youth participation in the development of the country.

Ng'oma was speaking Saturday in Mzuzu during a Business Incubation (Bizcubation) and Women in Business Pitch night where 12 young entrepreneurs made business presentations in their efforts to lobby for support for their initiatives.

"Through Bizcubation, we annually we release vacancies for young entrepreneurs to apply for. This year’s cohort had 44 drawn from across the country. They underwent a three- month intensive training in in leadership, branding and projections for their businesses and to enhance innovative reasoning," Ng'oma.

He said such trainings are important to upcoming entrepreneurs who are many in the country, hence the need for stakeholders to support to them as it is through entreprenuership that youth can contribute to the country’s economic development.

In his remarks, Data Centre Technical Project Manager for Public Private Commission, Paul Kanthambi said Malawian entrepreneurs have a role to ensure that Malawi 2063 of pillar an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation is achieved.

"Goverments prime focus is to implement efforts that will help entreprenuers especially youths to be innovative and generate wealth for our country.

 I therefore call for support to such initiatives as demonstrated by Mzuzu E-Hub where youths are best placed to offer solutions to economic problems," said Kanthambi.

Speaking in an interview, founder of Echo Tech Solutions, Alice Ndau who was given a prize of K2, 500,000.00 for emerging winner of the Bizcubation Pitch said her company which deals in solar energy products wants to offer energy solutions to small holder farmers in rural areas.

"There are a lot of Malawians who do not have access to electricity and I will use the money which I have won today to expand my business by engaging farmers’ cooperatives so that they should use solar powered equipment in irrigation farming,” said Ndau.

Besides Ndau under Youth Innovation Challenge, Joyce Mpuweni of Women in Biz also went away with K2, 500,000.00 as seed capital for their businesses.

Mzuzu E-Hub is a social enterprise based in Mzuzu that was established

By Tione Andsen

Lilongwe, August 5, Mana: Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling (FInES) has stressed the need for providing enhanced capacity buildings among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in order to improve their businesses.

FInES Programme Manager, Ralph Tseka made the remarks Friday when he closed a five day Train the Trainer Workshop of Personal Initiative Training at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe.

He believes that SMEs need to acquire entrepreneurship and mind set development skills for them to perform as expected.

Tseka said most SMEs in the country are failing to grow because they do not have required skills to use in their businesses.

“Most SMES are only interested to develop business plans and use them to acquire loans from the banks but they don’t have prerequisite skills to manage their affairs hence the need for them to be trained,” Manager said.

He said the training aims at training 100 trainers but the first cohort have only engage 27 of them in order to training 3,500 registered SMEs in the country.  

Tseka pointed out that the team of trainers would have a huge task ahead of them in making sure that SMEs are providing with right information and skills to improve their business.

He said the impact of the training would be demonstrated when SMEs would be conducting their business months after being trained.

Doorways Master Trainer, Benjamin Scharweit said the training was hands on and it was mythology which was used.

He said the trainers have been equipped with new skills on how they could handle SMEs in order to improve their status.

One of the Trainees, Barbara Banda said the training has provided a new way of helping the SMEs to make right decisions for their businesses.

She said SMEs should not view finances as barrier to their businesses but they need to view all factors relating to their work.

By Maria Tembo

Ntchisi, August 1, Mana: Business operators from Malomo Trading Centre in Ntchisi District on Monday marched to the office of the District Commissioner (DC) to submit a petition to have foreign nationals of Burundi and Rwanda removed from the trading centre.

The demonstrators argued, among other concerns, that the foreign nationals were operating illegally and were also a security risk as sometimes they converge at night and gunshot sounds come from their meeting.

Reading the petition before handing it over to the DC, Lusizi Nhlane, the group’s chairperson, Yatimu Hamazi said Burundians who were told to go back to Dzaleka Refugee Camp have returned to the area and some of them did not relocate to the camp even though government had ordered them to.

Hamazi also highlighted issues such as conducting multiple businesses with one license and illegal brewing of strong alcoholic beverages that were not vetted by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) thereby putting the lives of the youth in the area at risk.

The demonstrators had, in their petition, issued an eight-day ultimatum for the Council officials to vacate the foreigners from the trading centre failing which they would carry out an unspecified action.

Receiving the petition, the DC asked the gathering to hold patience as procedures to have their request submitted to the relevant authorities for action would take time and the eight-day ultimatum would not be practical.

He, however, assured them that law enforcement officials from the Council would visit the trading centre to verify the allegations and execute an action.

“We are hoping that what the DC has told us that a team of police officers will inspect the area and verify our concerns will come to pass,” explained Hamazi in an interview after delivering the petition.

By Yamikani Yapuwa

Blantyre, July 27, Mana: Minister of Water and Sanitation Abida Mia said the Thyolo District Strategic Investment Plan (DSIP) for Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) would greatly promote coordination and harmonization of WASH sector investments in the district.

She made the remarks on Thursday in Blantyre when launching the plan noting that the DSIP is a vehicle for ensuring that the aspirations for both international and national development strategies for the WASH sector are prioritized and implemented in a more effective and efficient way.

 “It is very exciting that Thyolo District Council has now a written, agreed WASH plan document, but that is not the end, the finishing of the WASH plan document is the start of the journey.

“Therefore, beyond just planning, together we must ensure that WASH plan is marketed and operationalized,” Mia said.

In order to ensure that the DSIP is operational, the Minister called upon the district council to make sure that everyone knows about the plan and has access to it and ensure that all actors are aligned to it.

“Let me request the council and all partners to also ensure that potential funders are approached and have committed, also make sure that the DSIP is monitored and is reviewed annually with all stakeholders for accountability.

“Further, the council should also make sure that the DSIP is updated and the plan is used to influence annual operations and budgeting,” she explained.

Mia urged all district councils to emulate what Thyolo has done saying it shows that the council was committed to ensuring that people in the district have access to portable water, sanitation and hygiene.

United Purpose WASH Programme Manager, Smorden Tomoka stressed the need for all partners to show commitment towards operationalizing the plan and go beyond.

“Learning from others, the DSIP has built-in mechanism to maintain focus on the district plan through a market plan and annual reviews by the district to reflect on progress of implementation and document lessons for sharing and up scaling,” he said.

Tomoka added that the organization would continue with its capacity support to the council as they operationalize the plan in order to contribute towards achieving Sustainable and Resilient WASH services by 2027 and beyond.

District Commissioner (DC) for Thyolo, Rosemary Nawasha said their vision was to ensure that the council was able to sustainably provide basic access to potable water, sanitation and hygiene services to all by 2027.

“The district has an estimated population of 747,086. Currently, total number of water points is at 3,632 and out of this number, only 1,991 water points are functional. In view of this situation, 61,086 people have no access to potable water.

“The district has 136,081 latrines of all types against 179,698 households representing coverage of 75.7 percent out of which a total of 47,601 latrines had drop hole covers, representing 27 percent. Further in the district, 27,752 latrines have hand washing facilities with soap, representing 16 percent of the latrines,” she stated

Nawasha indicated that the WASH plan seeks to mobilize K7.4 billion to guide investments and actions in WASH areas and currently United Purpose has pumped in K300 million.

By Wakisa Myamba

Karonga, July 30, Mana: Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Public Works, Enock Phale Saturday said the committee is impressed with  construction progress of  Nthola-Ilola rice processing factory in Karonga. Phale made the remarks alongside the committee’s tour to Nthola-Ilola Irrigation Scheme in the district which is being implemented by Green Belt Authority (GBA).

parliamentary committee toured the rice processing factory. “We are impressed with the progress which has been registered on this project. It is almost done as it is at 90 percent completion level,” said Phale.,Phale pledged that the committee will continue monitoring and following-up the irrigation’s corresponding water intake construction works until the scheme becomes functional.

In his remarks, Paramount Chief Kyungu applauded the government through GBA for investing in irrigation activities in the district. He said the factory and rice irrigation scheme has great potential to contribute towards the development of the country once completed and utilized efficiently. Director of Irrigation Operations at GBA, Dr Chisomo Kumbuyo asked the parliamentary committee members to assist the institution by lobbying government to ensure that funds allocated to the authority are disbursed in time and in full amounts for fast progression of the project. Kumbuyo said that the authority's projects fully rely on public funds as such any delay in financial disbursement leads to delays and sometimes stalling of projects. "We are committed to delivering this project. We appeal to the committee for your support," Kumbuyo said.

According to the contractor, the rice processing factory will be finished in the next 30 days, Upon completion, the factory is expected to contribute greatly to rice processing and value-addition strides.

By Tiwonge Kampondeni

Karonga, July25 Mana: An Agro-processing company in Karonga, Homes Industries Limited has been awarded a grant of K101.9 million from the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) aimed at promoting agro-processing in the district. Speaking at the signing ceremony on Monday, Programme Coordinator for USADF in Malawi, Lynda Jere said they were excited to have granted Homes Industries Limited the funds with a focus on rice value addition. She appealed to Homes and Industries Limited to use the money with prudence saying experience has shown that grantees that use the funds prudently are able to achieve beyond the set goals. “We have seen that grantees that have used the resources well, were able to achieve their objectives and grew beyond the set targets. “We expect Homesand Industries Limitedto grow more and get their brand well known in supermarkets even beyond the borders of Malawi,” Jere said. She added that through the grant Homes Industries Limited was expected to provide training and a market to rice farmers, apart from constructing an infrastructure called a Community Reinvestment Grant.

Managing Director for Homes Industries Limited, Victoria Mwafulirwa said the grant would go a long way in promoting local farmers in Karonga. “We will be up to date as far as standards go and standards mean quality. Quality means more money and more money means more empowerment for a smallholder farmer,” she said. Mwafulirwa said empowering farmers was the gateway to economic activities that would result in growth. Agribusiness Officer for Karonga, Victoria Mhone said through the grant the district would be able to support the Malawi 2063 agenda pillar number 1 and 2 on Agriculture productivity and commercialization as well as industrialization.

By Glory Msowoya

Blantyre, July 24, 2023: Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources Soil Fertility Expert, Dr. John Kazembe has underscored the need for farmers to start employing measures of restoring soil fertility in areas that were hit hard by Cyclone Freddy in a bid to use the same land in the next growing season.

Recently the country was hit hard by Cyclone Freddy which saw over 200,000 hectares of farmland being washed away.

In an interview to Malawi News Agency (Mana)on Monday, he said it was obvious that the farmland lost its topsoil hence the need for farmers to explore short and long-term measures like the use of fertilizer, manure, and agro forestry as ways of restoring soil fertility.

Kazembe said for suitability of fertility, there was need for farmers to include both long and short-term measures and it takes only a year for the land to regain its soil fertility.

“Soil fertility can be further improved by incorporating cover crops that add organic matter to the soil, which improve soil structure and promote healthy fertile soil. This can be done by using green manure or growing legumes, by micro-dose fertilizer applications among others.

“Another way of restoring soil fertility is agro forestry. It is a regenerative farming practice defined as the intentional combination of trees with crops and livestock into a single, integrated system, “he added.   

Kazembe pointed out that those districts that are in the lower shire should depend on manure to restore the soil fertility,

“Using manure restores nutrients to the soil while preventing erosion.  Rotational grazing and using high quality seeds are other steps that can combat soil problems,” he said.  

Farmers Union of Malawi President, Manes Nkhata said the farmer’s body has been on the ground making sure that farmers are implementing measures on how to restore soil fertility as one way of increasing crop production in the next harvesting season.

“We urge all farmers to actively participate in environmental rehabilitation and management through the protection of existing natural forests, planting of trees and avoiding cultivating along the river,”

“We encourage all farmers to put erosion control measures on their farms such as planting bananas and trees in gullies also constructing ridges to reduce runoff. Farmers should start making compost manure in readiness for the growing season,” she said.

By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, July 28, Mana: Controller of Agriculture Extension and Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Alfred Mwenifumbo has urged farmers in Blantyre to embrace farm mechanization as one way of achieving increased agricultural productivity and commercialization.

He said this on Friday in Machinjiri during the launch of Mahindra Tractor Hiring Scheme Ceremony organized by Delta Automobiles, M’bawa Trading, and Blantyre District Agricultural Office.

Mwenifumbno said the five newly launched tractors that have been procured by the Lambat family who are owners of M’bawa Trading, would provide farmers with tractor-hiring services.

“One of the major pillars of Malawi 2063 is agriculture productivity and commercialization and this can be achieved through the use of mechanization.

“The tractors, therefore, are not only going to benefit the Lambat family on their farm, but also offer this service to farmers’ clubs and cooperatives in this whole catchment area to increase their productivity,” he said.

Director for M’bawa Trading, Abdul Lambat said the initiative aims to uplift smallholder farmers saying the land has degraded in the country and tractors would assist in bringing back the degraded land through plowing.

He said that, “Together with the government and Mahindra which is under Delta Automobiles, we have agreed to start this project here but it will be scaled up to other districts.

“So, if we embrace this project, the country will be able to produce enough food which can also be exported to other countries and in turn bringing much-needed forex in the country.”

Delta Automobiles and Equipment Limited General Manager, Goldy Nair expressed his company’s commitment to support farmers in the rural areas with farm mechanization to enable them become food secure and support government in the mega farm’s development.

On Monday, February 13, 2023, I visited the M05 road project that the Chakwera-led administration is rehabilitating. The 60 km road project, which begins from Kaphatenga in Salima to some kilometers after Benga in Nkhotakota, is expected to be completed by November 2024. My Ministry through The Roads Authority has contracted China Railway 20 Bureau Group Corporation for this current phase of work, which will also include the rehabilitation of all bridges along the M05.

The project is expected to not only benefit those traveling along the M05, but also bring greater economic development to local communities by providing more job opportunities and increased access to services. It is encouraging to see the Chakwera-led administration’s commitment to delivering this vital infrastructure project for the benefit of the people of Malawi.

It was sad, however, to note that vandalism of bridges is continuing in the area. The famous Lipsodzi Bridge is being destroyed by villagers who extort cash from motorists under the guise of helping them across the damaged bridge. We have put in place some temporary works on the bridges and places where steel armco culverts were vandalized so that the road is usable. This is a temporary measure until the contractor is able to start major earthworks. I have also instructed the police to make sure that the timber on the repaired bridges is kept secure.

I also inspected the new weighbridge that my ministry is constructing along the M05. It is expected that this bridge will help to minimize road maintenance costs and reduce the risk of accidents related to overloaded trucks.

Lastly, I visited Nkhata Bay Port, which is, unfortunately, in a very bad state. Mota Engil was granted a concession for the port in 2013, with the expectation that they would upgrade and modernize it, as well as handle its management. Sadly, it is evident that not enough progress has been made and the port remains in a state of disrepair, and as Government, we now feel the need to review the concession agreement. My ministry will, thus, work on a plan that will see government repossess all the ports in Malawi including Chipoka that has been closed for 7years now.