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Malawi Government impressed with SAPP interventions
By Kondwani Magombo
Lilongwe, March 06, Mana: The Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Benedict Chambo, has commended interventions implemented by the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) in the country, saying the programme resonates with the MW2063 agenda pillar of agricultural productivity and commercialization.
Chambo made the remarks on Wednesday when he toured SAPP II sites at Chiwala Village, Mlomba Extension Planning Area (EPA), in the area of Senior Chief Chingala in Lilongwe, and Chitedze Research Station, to appreciate interventions that were implemented by SAPP I, and they are sustained by the ongoing SAPP II.
At Mlomba EPA, the Deputy Minister appreciated the organizational structure of the District Agriculture Extension Services System (DAESS), and the agricultural interventions that have been implemented under SAPP I since 2016.
He also appreciated the wealth that farmers participating in SAPP I have accumulated over the years through livestock pass-on intervention, and through irrigation and various agricultural technologies.
At Chitedze Research Station, Chambo toured a Mega demo farm where he appreciated various researches that the station is conducting on soils and fertilizers, cereals, legumes, herbal pesticides, and livestock feed, among others.
In separate interviews after touring the two sites, the Deputy Minister hailed the SAPP interventions, and he described them as Malawi’s way out from food insecurity.
“Having interacted with the farmers at Mlomba EPA, it is evident that the programme has brought wealth among the participating farmers, as evidenced by how much one farmer got after selling her 15 goats,” explained Chambo.
He added: “I’ve also observed a very good DAESS structure right from the top, down to the community level, which is very commendable as it makes the flow of information on agricultural technologies easier.”
However, Chambo observed that the agriculture sector has got gaps that require to be filled regarding Agricultural Extension Development Officers (AEDOs), a “very vital link, and vehicle for agricultural technologies to the farmers at section level”.
On the various researches and technologies at Chitedze Research Station, the Deputy Minister said time has now come for Malawi to fully embrace and adopt the new technologies that scientists come up with.
“We have competent scientists who are successfully conducting researches and coming up with various technologies; but we are not utilizing these technologies fully, in preference to foreign technologies: this is demotivating to our scientists,” complained Chambo.
SAPP National Coordinator, Rex Baluwa, echoed Chambo on SAPP I legacy, which SAPP II is building on, adding that if adopted and made available to the farmers across the country, the programme’s agriculture technologies could make Malawi a food sufficient nation.
SAPP II is financed by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and it will run for 7 years (2024 – 2030) in four districts, namely Lilongwe, Dowa, Mzimba and Balaka.
The project aims to contribute towards wealth creation and improve food and nutrition security among the rural population of Malawi, according to Baluwa.
Mtuzuzu Health Post eases medical challenges for Mzimba communities
By Joel Phiri
Mzimba, March 6, Mana: Residents under Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku in Mzimba have expressed their excitement over the opening of Mtuzuzu Health Post, highlighting its significant impact in improving access to medical care. The facility has reduced the need for long-distance travel to seek treatment, effectively addressing a major healthcare challenge in the district.
M’mbelwa District Council constructed the health post using K77 million from the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) funds.
In an interview, Patrick Gondwe of Mhlaba Village said before the construction of the health post, they used to travel to Vibangalala Health Post and Mzimba District Hospital to seek medical help.
“Before its opening, we only had a Health Surveillance Assistant who would treat us all. But now we have a community midwife assistant who is helping expectant women and under five children,” he said.
“In the past when faced with serious medical conditions we would travel to Mzimba District Hospital and other health facilities, some located 13 kilometres away. The opening of this health post has come at the right time as it has eased those problems,” said Gondwe.
Another community member, Alick Jere praised M’mbelwa District Council for opening the structure saying it is helping people to seek medical help nearby.
“This health post is a relief to us all. Having medical facility in close vicinity is enabling many community members access help nearby in the process preventing many needless deaths in our community and surrounding areas,” said Jere.
Member of Parliament for the Mzimba South West, Raymond Nkhata, in a recent interview also praised government for constructing the health post in his constituency saying most people were spending a lot to seek medical help from far away hospitals.
“The people in my area were travelling to Mzimba District Hospital and other hospitals to seek help when ill. This was affecting them as they would spend a lot and also leave their homes affecting them in both economic aspects and social life. So I feel elated and happy with the construction of this health post,” said Nkhata.
HSA for the area Nathaniel Mlowoka, said he treats over 150,000 people a month.
Director of Health and Social Services for M’mbelwa District Council, Dr. Prince Chirwa in an interview said opening of Mtuzuzu health post has eased challenges that members of the community faced.
“We recently opened the facility and we also sent a community midwife assistant to boost up medical staff. With the opening of the facility, cases to do with antenatal, vaccines and under five clinics are now handled right there,” said Chirwa.
WHH hands over 60 boreholes to Dedza communities
By Timothy Peter
Dedza, March 6, Mana: Welthungerhilfe (WHH), on Wednesday, handed over 60 boreholes to communities of Senior Chief Chauma in Dedza District as one way of ensuring Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the area.
WHH Project Coordinator for Dedza, Khumbo Munthali, said 23 of the boreholes are newly constructed while 37 have been rehabilitated.
He said: "As WHH, we thought it wise to help the district council with the drilling of new boreholes and rehabilitation of some non-functional boreholes in the area after noting the council's District Strategic Implementation Plan that aspires to reach 90 percent of people in the district with access to safe water by 2027."
Speaking after the handover ceremony, Senior Chief Chauma commended WHH for the project, saying people in his area will benefit a lot from the initiative.
"My area has been facing a lot of challenges due to water scarcity. Women have been walking long distances to fetch water from unsafe sources, which became a burden to their lives and families," he said.
The Senior Chief then advised his subjects to avoid vandalizing the infrastructures.
In his remarks, District Water Development Officer for Dedza, Limbani Muhiwa, said the project will increase the population of people with access to safe water from 72 percent to 90 percent in the area.
Lucy Elemiya from Chitukula Village under Group Village Head Biwi James, said the initiative will help them to prevent waterborne diseases including Cholera.
WHH has used K300 million to drill and rehabilitate the boreholes that will benefit 16,120 people in the area.
Stakeholders asked to collaborate in digital rights and cybersecurity awareness programs
By Tawina Kuluweya
Mzuzu, March 6, Mana: Director General for Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA), Daudi Suleman, has called upon all Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and other stakeholders in the country to join in conducting digital rights and cybersecurity awareness programs.
Suleman made the remarks on Wednesday in Mzuzu during a digital rights workshop that was aimed at educating CSOs on digital rights.
He said Malawi's digital space is moving very fast but there is lack of explicit recognition of digital rights and laws and there is a need for CSOs and other stakeholders to join in disseminating information about digital rights and laws.
"Digital literacy and awareness remains a big gap, so there is need to engage a number of stake holders and CSOs so that we move together as we move towards consolidating digital rights to individuals who are using the internet in Malawi," he noted.
Suleman also added that the level of internet penetration in Malawi is very fast and there is a need to observe safety measures because we are more exposed to threats.
Executive Director for Gender Governance Institute, Taonga Kaira, hailed MACRA for educating CSOs and directly engaging them in raising awareness about digital rights and emphasized on the importance of involving the CSOs saying they reach diverse areas.
"We CSOs work in different areas that MACRA on its own cannot manage to reach, so engaging us is very important as it will help in spreading messages about digital rights and laws everywhere," said Kaira.
Kaira said that there is a need to make law reforms, as laws of Malawi do not roughly deal with cyberbullies.
She also added that most people are not conversant with digital laws hence CSOs should work hard in disseminating the information about digital rights and cybersecurity so that people should be aware of these laws.
"We have the Cybersecurity Act which has been there since 2016 which most people are not aware of and they end up committing these cybercrimes. That is why as CSOs we need to come in and work hand in hand with MACRA on sensitizing people about these laws," Kaira said.
Local initiatives drive positive change
By Patience Longwe
Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: Fokasi Malawi, a pioneering youth empowerment organization, is taking a bold step to support the education of students at Dzaleka Refugee camp on March 7,
The organization will donate essential learning materials to a school within the camp, providing a vital boost to the education journey of these young minds.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA), Executive Director of Fokasi Malawi, Ousman Manda, said the organization is driven by a strong sense of self-reliance.
"We don't have to wait for other countries to help our students, we can too, that's why we are donating learning materials to a school in Dzaleka," he stressed.
Manda reiterated that the donation is not only a gesture of kindness but also a testament to the power of local initiatives in driving position change.
"As Fokasi Malawi continues to empower young minds, it is clear that the organization is playing a vital role in shaping the future of Malawi," he added.
By providing these learning materials, the organization is helping to bridge the educational gap and support the students in reaching their full potential.
Government to recruit 6,000 health workers
By Ruth Kumwenda
Blantyre, March 6, Mana: Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, said government through the ministry will recruit over 6,000 health workers across Malawi to improve timely access to healthcare and meet people’s demand for quality services.
Chiponda was speaking in Blantyre on Wednesday during an inspection tour of the various health facilities that are under construction and rehabilitation.
Interacting with Health Surveillance Assistants at Bangwe Health Center, Chiponda urged them to be dedicated to their duties, saying government plans to promote health workers and recruit more to improve services in central hospitals and other health facilities across the country.
“Yesterday we received a go ahead to recruit 6,000 workers which will also include promotions as we have so many health care providers who have upgraded and they now have diplomas and degrees but they are still holding the same position.
“The promotion interviews will commence in the second week of March and will include all workers whether nurses and midwives, HSAs and clinicians in the health sector,” the minister added.
She said that Bangwe Health Center has a wider catchment (area) with over 200,000 people, adding that there was need to make Bangwe facility a community hospital.
Chiponda disclosed that Ministry of Health also plans to have at least four community hospitals in the City of Blantyre to reduce congestion at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, as Blantyre City does not have a proper district hospital.
“Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital is meant to be a referral hospital and not supposed to treat conditions like coughs and diarrhea which could be treated at a health center,” she said.
The minister added that the proposed community hospitals should have their own theater rooms, dental clinics, and X-rays and other essential services similar to those at central hospitals.
Chaponda therefore hailed partners such as the World Bank and Global Fund for supporting government in constructing health facilities to improve health service delivery citing construction of an Infectious Disease Unit and wards at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital.
A health worker at Bangwe clinic, Enerst Takumana, welcomed government’s plans to promote health workers with gratitude, saying, “I am excited about the promotion, I feel it is an opportunity to grow and establish more career objectives. I started working in 2014 with no promotion. This will enable me to explore some skills that I acquired in college and the promotion will be an amazing opportunity as the minister said."
At Mpemba Health Center, the minister inspected newly constructed maternity wing, visited the current maternity ward and vaccine storage room.
Mary Symon from Traditional Authority Somba told Malawi News Agency (Mana), that she was grateful to see construction of new maternity wing and expressed hope that the new wing will create more space for mothers.
“I am thankful to government; the expanded maternity wing will provide mothers with privacy and space. We deserve this," she added.
Ministry of Health recently opened Chiyendausiku maternity wing in Balaka District to improve maternal services in Balaka rural.
EU and Government launch Chilungamo II programme
By Pempho Kantayeni
Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: The Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, in partnership with the European Union (EU), has officially launched the Chilungamo II ‘Access to Justice’ programme as a continuation of the first Chilungamo Programme.
The initiative aims to enhance the humane and effective delivery of justice for all by addressing systemic challenges related to the accessibility and efficiency of key justice institutions in the country.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday in Lilongwe, EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach, reaffirmed that the programme will support the development of relevant laws and policies, along with institutional reforms to improve justice service delivery and enforcement mechanisms.
"Efforts will focus on empowering people to demand justice, increasing their motivation to engage with justice institutions, and ensuring that these institutions respond effectively," he said.
Skinnebach emphasized that the program's overall objective is to improve the humane and effective delivery of justice for all, particularly for those in marginalized and vulnerable situations.
“It’s supporting not only the justice system, but also the access to justice, in a way, supporting both the demand and the supply side. It gives access for the least privileged Malawians. It gives trust in the system. It holds the system accountable, and it strengthens the delivery of judiciary to Malawians,” he said.
In his remarks, Minister of Justice, Titus Mvalo highlighted the strategic importance of the program in supporting Malawi’s vision 2063, which envisions effective governance system rooted in the rule of law for an inclusive and self-reliant nation.
“The program will help address systemic challenges in access of justice and enhance the capacity of key justice institutions, the rule of law is crucial for building confidence in the government and driving social economic development in the country,” he said.
The Minister expressed his satisfaction with the progress made during the Chilungamo I project.
“we have so far progressed well with implementation of the programme through the support of all implementing partners namely; the Judiciary, the Malawi Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Ombudsman, the Legal Aid Bureau, Malawi Police Service, Malawi Prison Service and Ministry of Justice,” Mvalo said.
The Chilungamo II programme supported by the European Union, has a budget of 17 million euros of which 8.3 million are going to the seven justice institutions.
Chambo impressed with SAPP members
By Mwai Kumanda
Lilongwe, March 6, Mana: Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Benedicto Chambo, has expressed satisfaction with farmers from Mlomba Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Lilongwe for making strides in the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).
Chambo made the remarks on Wednesday in the area of Traditional Authority Chingala where he went to see and appreciate how SAPP has benefited the farmers.
He said the only way the country can achieve food security is through working hard in the fields and taking part in different modern agricultural practices such as irrigation, saying rain-fed agriculture is no longer reliable due to climate change.
“SAPP 1 has achieved a lot in this EPA, you can see how farmers who benefited from this programme are explaining to us. They are happy because they are practising irrigation farming and some have their own livestock, this is a clear indication that SAPP is changing livelihood.
“As a ministry we are looking for food security and I’m glad to say that in this area we have achieved food security through SAPP 1,” he said.
One of the beneficiary Joyce Thom, thanked government for the initiative saying through the programme she has been able to take care of her family members and children through farming and rearing animals.
“Before SAPP our farming was unsustainable and our yields were low, but with the coming in of SAPP, everything changed through training and support. We learnt new farming practices, for instance, I have learnt to make manure which helps me to have bumper harvest and be able to feed my family, sale some and pay school fees for my children,” she said.
She further said that SAPP has not only improved their livelihoods but has also empowered the farmers to take farming as business.
SAPP is a programme aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity and improving rural food security in Malawi by providing smallholder farmers with simple, affordable technologies to bridge the gap between actual and potential food crop yields.
COMSIP lauded for improving lives
By Tikondane Vega
Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: Principal Social Welfare Officer for Zomba City Council Linda Matayataya Zinyongo has commended Community Savings and Investments Promotion (COMSIP) for uplifting lives of vulnerable people in the district.
Zinyongo said this on Wednesday when members of the Bwaila COMSIP Cluster visited Tidalirane Cluster in Chikanda as part of a learning visit in the same district.
Bwaila cluster was formed in March 2024 under the Livelihood programme, while Tidalirane cluster was formed in 2021 as a result of the Covid response.
Speaking during the learning visit, she said COMSIP has been providing basic livelihood training, enhancing productive skills, and graduating households into sustainable livelihoods to help people be resilient to climate shocks.
“This learning visit has also been organized by COMSIP so that the two groups can learn from each other; particularly Bwaila being a new cluster would like to know more on how Tidalirane has survived all these years.
“It is due to this reason that Zomba city now has 263 cluster groups with a capital of K186 million. This is happening because COMSIP continues to equip its members with different skills including business and financial management,” said Zinyongo.
Juliet Fraser, case worker for Bwaila COMSIP Cluster, described their visit to Tidalirane as an eye opener, saying members have been equipped with new skills, adding participants have learned more from the old group.
Fraser said,” This visit has provided us with opportunities for mutual learning through deep exploration of issues that have helped us to understand some of the challenging issues in our group. In this cluster, we are 53 in total, and we plan to share K10 million on the 30th April, 2025.
“We are a new group with less than a year in operation, but we have achieved a lot at a group as well as individual level. Members have bought livestock, are paying school fees for children and have managed to buy fertilizer this year.
On his part, Gasten Mwepesa, who is the Community Facilitator for Tidalirane Cluster, said they feel honoured that some more groups are coming forward to learn from them.
“This means we are doing something good. In the meantime, we have K31 million as our capital among 37 people who are members. We are planning to buy a maize mill as well as a Minibus in the future, but also at an individual level, people’s lives have improved,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mercy Chaluma, Communication Development Officer for COMSIP said she is satisfied with how COMSIP groups are performing, saying this is the reason her organization decided to facilitate the learning visit of the two groups as one way of building resilient skills.
Government, UN Women push for better maternal health ahead of International Women’s Day
By Donald Zimba
Lilongwe, March 5, Mana: The Deputy Minister of Gender, Halima Daud, visited Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH) in Lilongwe today, in collaboration with UN Women and the Malawi Red Cross, to kick-start activities leading up to International Women’s Day on March 8.
Speaking during the visit, the Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of reaching out to women in hospitals who may not be able to join public celebrations.
“As women who are in the hospital, they cannot go out and celebrate, so the effort to come in and celebrate with them is what Women’s Day is all about,” she said.
While visiting the Kangaroo Mother Care section at KCH, Daud highlighted the critical need for improved maternal health services. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment, alongside partners such as the Red Cross and UN Women, to ensuring that women receive the care they deserve and that the health sector remains strong and effective.
“We are celebrating International Women’s Day, and preparations are going well. In fact, we have already started today as a ministry, with a number of activities lined up,” Daud stated.
She commended UN Women and the Malawi Red Cross for their continued support.
UN Women Country Representative, Letty Chiwara also spoke at the event, underscoring the link between maternal health and gender equality.
“Gender equality is a human rights issue, which is why we are here today as part of International Women’s Day. If we have safe motherhood, that directly translates into a safer community,” she said.
She acknowledged the progress Malawi has made but stressed that more work needs to be done.
“Yes, some strides have been made, but we can do more. The conditions for maternal health can improve, and there is so much more we can do to ensure that women receive the care they need,” she said.
“Women are the very foundation of development and sustainable communities,” Chiwara added, “No mother should have to die while giving life to the world.”
She emphasized the importance of collaboration between women and men in advancing maternal health and gender equality.
“We are honoured to be here. It is a team effort both women and men must work hand in hand towards safe motherhood. We are here to shine a light on maternal health and safety. Safe motherhood is not a privilege; it is a right,” she said, while also commending the Deputy Minister for her dedication.
The International Women’s Day activities will continue in Blantyre, where events celebrating women’s achievements and several training sessions involving approximately 65 sectors will take place.
This year’s theme is “Collectively, We Can Accelerate Action for Gender Equality”.
