MANAonline
Enhanced food security through Fish farming
By Tawonga Moyo
Mzuzu, April 29, Mana: Fish is one relish that is greatly consumed in the country and demand for product doesn’t seem to decline at any time of the year.
The never-ending demand, however, puts pressure on the country’s lakes, as noted by Centre Manager for Mzuzu Aquaculture Centre, David Mbamba which is located in Mzuzu’s Chimaliro area.
The Centre focuses on conducting research in areas of fish breeding, fish grow-out which involves growing fingerlings to larger sizes for consumption, and feed development which focuses on finding the best feed which farmers can be using to feed their fish for quality produce.
Mbamba said investing in aquaculture development and providing knowledge to people on its benefits was one way of easing the pressure on Malawi's lakes.
“It is impossible for our lakes to cater for the growing population and aquaculture acts as a supplement for providing fish to people,” he explained.
The Manager noted that the Centre has Green Houses which enables fish breeding throughout the year and prevents fish from dying due to low temperatures.
Mbamba urged Malawians to develop an interest in aquaculture development, observing that the country has a lot of idle land which could be utilized for fish farming.
“People should know that there is profit in aquaculture. We want Malawians to be exporting fish as our country has good water and land resource which is what is needed for aquaculture to thrive,” he said.
A fisherman, Ambros Madope who hails from the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mwase in Likoma and plies his trade along the shores of Likoma Island agrees with Mbamba.
He noted that if fishermen get introduced to aquaculture, it would contribute to the growth of the trade as they currently ply their trade only when the lakes are open for fishing.
“As fishermen, we comply with the directive not to fish during breeding season. When it comes to fish farming in ponds, most fishermen here in Likoma have no idea what it entails.
We only hear about it but no one has ever given us the details of the processes involved. It’s important that we get to learn about it too as it seems to be a good method,” Madope pointed out.
Mzuzu Aquaculture Centre provides people with hands-on training on fish farming, including fish feed formulation and currently has 40 students enrolled at the institution.
One of the students at the Centre, Timale Mhango said she developed an interest in aquaculture with an aim of extending the knowledge to her fellow youth so that they could find something to do and be self-reliant.
“I am gaining knowledge on how to breed fish which I will eventually sell to make profit. At this centre, I am learning that I can breed a lot of fish in a short period of time and make so much profit.
“Besides that, I would like to extend the knowledge to my fellow youth so that we do not only rely on office work for our survival,” she added.
Another student, Rosalio Mang’anda praised government for establishing the Centre saying it provides hands-on experience for youth to learn about aquaculture.
“Aquaculture is not a common practice, although fish is among the relishes which most Malawians eat on a day to day basis. With the expertise I am gaining here, I plan to build my own fish pond and provide fresh fish to communities,” he remarked.
Mang’anda called upon the youth to be open in exploring aquaculture, saying there was great benefit in it.
Mzuzu Aquaculture Centre, which has 28 fish ponds with a total area of production of about 7.1 hectares boosts of its ability to produce enough fingerlings to supply to both northern and central regions.
The Centre was opened in 1987 by a European Union (EU) funded project which was then known as Central and Northern Region Fish-farming.
In 1995, government took over the project and the area of production which was then at 1.6 hectares was expanded to 7.1 hectares.
Silver back on top
By Tione Andsen
Lilongwe, April 29, Mana: Silver Strikers have returned to the summit of 2024 TNM Super League after recording a 5-1 empathic win over lakeshore giants, Mafco on Saturday.
The Central Bankers have dislodged league leaders, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers on top with 10 points from four games and they have scored 11 goals against 3.
Silver Strikers forward, Adiel Kaduya was hero for the day and has increased his scoring tally to four and went away with man of the match for third time.
The weekend weeks has reshaped the table standing with huge movements that have happened with Wanderers dropping two points and Mafco have dropped into the relegation zone.
Wanderers were forced to a barren draw against determined, Bangwe All Stars on Sunday and they have dropped to third place after enjoying top of the table stay.
Bangwe All Stars had to welcome their interim coach, Mapopa Msukwa with a sounding draw to move them from position 15 to 14 on the log.
However, their traditional rivals and defending champions, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets secured a hard fought 2-1 win over spirited, Baka City to move to fourth position from 11th with eight points.
Baka City had to silence the Biafra with a 13th minute stunner by Geoffrey Mwakyombe but Bullets had to come from behind to win the game.
They have registered their first win at home after sharing spoils with Mighty Waka Tigers in their second game of the season.
Baka City are yet to register a win, they have a point, scored twice, conceded five and are still anchoring the log table.
Mzuzu City Hammers have nine points and have moved to second from position four after punching a 2-1 away win against Creck Sporting and Sporting has dropped to position eight from five.
Kamuzu Barracks heaped further misery to Civil Service United after hammering them 2-1 on Sunday and have move one step up from sixth to fifth with eight points.
The Servants have dropped to position 11 from eighth and have conceded six goals, scoring four.
Kaning’ina Boys, Moyale Barracks were held to 0-0 draw against Dedza Dynamos at Mzuzu Stadium on Sunday and have dropped to position six from third with seven points.
With the draw, Dedza Dynamos have move out of relegation zone from position 14 to 13 with three points in their bag.
New boys, FOMO have registered their second win of the season after they beat Chitipa United 1-0 at Mulanje Park to move to ninth from 10th with six points.
With the defeat, Chitipa United has dropped five steps downwards to position 12 from seven with three points.
Currently, Silver’s Adiel Kaduya and Kamuzu Barracks striker, Zeliat Nkhoma are leading the scoring chart with four goals each.
Silver has better scoring record of 11 goals, Wanderers has best defensive record and they only conceded a single goal while Mafco and Creck have conceded eight goals each.
Government hints on demolishing illegal infrastructures
By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, April 28, Mana: As Government intends to commence implementation of the amended Physical Planning Act of 2022, it has hinted that there will be massive restructuring of urban areas by demolishing infrastructures that have been developed on restricted areas.
Principal Secretary for Lands Devie Chilonga issued the warning on Saturday in Salima at a meeting for registered Physical Planners on Stream-lining Physical Planning activities in accordance with the Physical Planning Act of 2016 as amended in 2022.
According to Chilonga human settlement has taken center stage in moving into undesignated areas especially arable land meant for food production, being turned into dwelling places.
"Cities have turned chaotic, everyone is developing without consulting physical planners, people are even settling in dangerous areas, some of these areas are prone to disasters, posing a threat to human lives," he said.
He said the role of Physical Planners in the country should be highly recognized and respected for proper infrastructural development.
Chilonga said it is imperative for everyone especially in cities to seek permission and inputs from a certified Physical Planner before embarking on big projects.
“There will come a time when we will still demolish any structure that is wrongly placed, it may take years after being issued with a warning notice, but when we are ready, the law will take its cause,” said Chilonga.
He said the Ministry of Lands has been piloting implementation of the new land laws under key land-based development projects, especially in the agriculture sector.
"It is our belief that this engagement between Ministry of Lands and the Physical Planning Fraternity from various institutions and Private Sector, is crucial as it will help in coming up with the best practice in operationalizing the new legal structures, such as the Physical Planning Act," he said.
The Physical Panning Act has made provision for the establishment of the Physical Planning Council which is an appeal body for the aggrieved parties on application for planning permission for development decisions.
President of the Malawi Institute of Physical Planners, Gilbert Chilinde, acknowledged the ineffective implementation of national structure plans, attributing it to lack of enforcement by local councils.
Chilinde said it is high time the country starts to develop according to set standards as stipulated in the national structure plans.
He therefore called upon Physical Planners to work hand in hand with the Ministry of Lands so that they should be up to date with emerging legal issues in the field.
The meeting also looked into modalities of revising the 1987 National Physical Development Plan to align it with the Malawi 2063 agenda.
Malawi urges for increased IDA support
By Mike Kamande
Nairobi, Kenya April 28, MANA: Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Simplex Chithyola-Banda says the World Bank through IDA remains the largest development partner supporting key sectors of development to alleviate poverty.
Speaking on Sunday at Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi Kenya during the ministerial segment for ministers of finance at the International Development Agency (IDA) Heads of State Summit he said Malawi still needs IDA for capacity building on production and value addition.
“We need IDA to help develop the agriculture, mining tourism (ATM) sectors which will transform our economy. Tourism will attract more visitors who will bring more forex.
“We also believe IDA can help in the disaster risk management and be flexible enough in responding to natural disasters and calamities,” he said.
Chithyola-Banda said Malawi is banking on IDA to build its capacity to successfully negotiate with her debtors to either grant debt relief or cancelation so that resources can be used to manage natural disasters.
In his opening remarks Governor of the World Bank (Kenya) Njuguna Ndung'u said since 1960 when IDA was established over US$110billion has been disbursed to its member countries many of which are in dire situation because of debt stress.
World Bank Senior Managing Director (SMD) Axel van Trotsenburg said Africa is at the heart of the IDA's global mission with affordable source of financing in 39 low-income countries in Africa.
“Let us work together to deliver an ambitious IDA2. IDA has been innovating to increase financing available to IDA countries without a nominal increase in donor contributions.
Lilongwe to increase CS-EPWP with 4,812 beneficiaries
By: Andrew Mkonda
Lilongwe, April 28, Mana: Lilongwe District Land Resources Conservation Officer Setrida Mlamba says all is set to increase the beneficiaries in the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in this financial year.
Mlamba disclosed the development Saturday during a stakeholders meeting aimed at preparing them to follow the procedures during the registration of new beneficiaries into the programme.
She said government through National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has increased the number of beneficiaries with 4,812 beneficiaries, bringing it to a total number of 29,440 beneficiaries from 24,628.
Mlamba said the six catchment areas namely Mtambwa Sixpence, Chidokowe, Maselero Mngongonda, Kudwe Kawala and Nyanga have been earmarked for additional beneficiaries because of its vastness.
“Our officers are already on the ground for awareness, assessment and registration of those who are suitable to be added into the programme soon. We are optimistic that we are going to reach the targeted number very soon,” she said
Speaking in a separate interview, Lilongwe District Council Chairperson Dan Mtayamanja thanked government for adding more beneficiaries into the programme, saying if well implemented many households in the district will be relived from poverty.
“This is a true reflection of prospering together that the president Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has been preaching since he became a president,” he said
Mtayamanja then asked those on CS-EPWP to work hard and use the cash they get for the intended purpose.
“This programme is not only alleviating people from their poverty, but also conserving the environment from being damaged and other natural disasters,” he said
One of the beneficiaries Jenifa Kwamdera thanked the government for the initiative saying many people in rural areas need financial support in order for them to come out from their poverty.
Meanwhile, government has revised upwards the wages of participants of the CS-EPWP from MK1,200 to MK1,600 per day.
This means that participants shall now receive MK38,400 after working for 24 days in each cycle.
CS-EPWP is a government initiative under Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project implemented by National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with financial support from Multi-Donor Trust Fund and World Bank.
CARD awards 75 youths in Phalombe.
By Doreen Kachingwe
Phalombe, April 28, Mana: Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD) in partnership with TEVETA on Friday awarded 75 youths from Traditional Authority Nazombe in Phalombe with certificates after completing various technical vocational skills training.
CARD Consultant, Mwayiwawo Chitsamba told Malawi News Agency that the technical vocational skills training is under a project called; ‘Girls Get Equal’ and targets youths in rural areas as a way of empowering them to be productive and self-dependent for a sustainable livelihood.
He therefore said it is important to provide technical and vocational skills such as tailoring, welding, phone repairing, carpentry and electronics among others to youths in Malawi to attain a productive generation.
“This project was implemented to empower youths in rural areas. A research by TEVETA showed that many youths in rural areas including Phalombe have nothing to do, so we joined hands with a partner, PLAN Malawi and come up with this project to help them to be self-dependent," he added.
Chitsamba said that the certificates award was a way of congratulating the youths, adding that some of the youths had already started utilizing the skills and were doing better after the technical and vocational training.
Community Development Officer for Phalombe, Sydney Nkata applauded CARD for the youth project, saying the project also benefited other people in the district as the trained youths (both male and females) were creating jobs opportunities for others.
One of the awardees in tailoring, Vero Kaiwe said Girls Get Equal project transformed her life and described it a “game changer” for most of young people that had opportunity to acquire the technical and vocational skills.
"I bought land, goats and am planning to build my own house next year. I therefore encourage every youth to embrace this project to turn dreams into realities," she said.
District Youth Officer, Halson Bulangete said was looking forward to more youth programmes in Phalombe to transform more youths into productive citizens.
WaterAid awards Water Tokens to top Schools in Sanitation and Hygiene
By Leonard Masauli
Lilongwe, April 28, Mana: Water Aid has recognized M’buka Primary School in Lilongwe by awarding them a K600, 000 water token for their exceptional commitment to sanitation and hygiene practices on the premises.
During a ceremony held at M'buka Primary School Maria Soko, a Hygiene Behavior Change Specialist at WaterAid, explained that the organisation initiated a water and sanitation project due to a high enrollment rate that exceeded the available water and sanitation facilities, resulting in compromised hygiene standards.
Soko stated that WaterAid extended support to four schools including M'buka, Chipala, Mloza, and Kabwabwa by providing additional sanitation facilities such as toilets and change rooms for girls, as well as ensuring access to water.
She emphasized that the decision to assist these schools stemmed from their limited financial resources, which hindered their ability to cover water bills for improved sanitation and girls' hygiene.
"As a motivating factor, we conducted a sanitation competition among the four schools to evaluate their adherence to hygiene standards, focusing on areas such as toilet cleanliness, surroundings, and classroom hygiene.
"We are pleased to announce that M'buka emerged as the winner, receiving a K600,000 water token, while the other three schools each received a K300,000 water token," said Soko.
Primary School Advisor for Mvunguti zone, Chrissy Bondo expressed gratitude to WaterAid for enhancing sanitation and hygiene at M'buka, highlighting the school's previous struggles to maintain hygiene due to water scarcity.
"WaterAid has significantly improved sanitation and hygiene at our school by installing more water points, water tanks, quality toilets, and bathrooms for girls. This initiative has contributed to reducing illnesses and dropout rates, particularly among girls," Bondo stated.
Esther Chunga, a standard seven learner at M'buka, praised WaterAid for providing change rooms for girls, noting that it has played a crucial role in keeping girls in school compared to previous challenges they faced.
President Chakwera arrives in Nairobi for IDA12 Summit
Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi, April 24, Mana: President Lazarus Chakwera has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya to participate in the International Development Association-12 Summit for Heads of State. The summit, co-hosted by the Government of Kenya and the World Bank will take place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Monday, 29th April.
Upon his arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, President Chakwera was welcomed by the Malawi High Commissioner to Kenya, Callista Mutharika, Cabinet minister for Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage Aisha Jumwa, Minister of Finance Simplex Chithyola Banda, Secretary to the Treasury Betchani Tchereni, representatives of Malawians living in Kenya, and several Members of Parliament.
The International Development Association (IDA) for Africa Heads of State Summit aims to identify key priorities for financing in Africa and advocate for an ambitious replenishment of IDA resources. These resources are crucial for supporting transformational development objectives across the African region.
President Chakwera's presence at the summit underscores the importance of the event, and he is scheduled to deliver a significant address. His participation follows an invitation extended by Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, in recognition of the World Bank's recent approval of 100 billion Kwacha to support Malawi's efforts in achieving food security.
This assistance comes in response to the President's Declaration of Disaster in 23 districts affected by El Niño weather conditions.
The International Development Association (IDA) plays a pivotal role in supporting low-income countries worldwide through grants and low-interest loans. It aims to invest in the future, enhance livelihoods, and foster the creation of safer, more prosperous communities globally.
During the summit, discussions will focus on various intervention areas, including social support, agriculture, health, and climate shock recovery issues. The expected outcome of the Summit will be the adoption of the Nairobi Communique, outlining key strategies and commitments for advancing development in the region.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets beat Baka City 2-1
By Petro Mkandawire
Blantyre, April 28, Mana: FCB Nyasa Big Bullets spoiled Baka City’s day after a 2-1 defeat on Saturday at Kamuzu stadium in the first leg match of TNM super League.
Geoffrey Mwakyembe put the visitors ahead in first thirteen minutes of the game while FCB Nyasa Big Bullets defenders failed to clear good balls but later in the 21th minutes of the game, a brilliant equalizer came from Ephraim Kondowe followed by Chawanangwa Carzola Gumbo_in the 43th minutes to make it 2-1 on the last whistle at the disadvantage of Baka City’s part.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency, FCB head coach, Calisto Pasuwa expressed gratitude with the win saying it was a good pick considering that they didn't even know how Baka City plays.
He warned the team not to underrate any team and said he told the players to play with caution.
“I am glad that the players managed to pick points on a bad day. The team ran the whole match and Baka City boys came with energy since it was like a motivation to them.” said Pasuwa.
He added that considering that it was a fourth game of the league, FCB still needed to go more on finishing
Baka City Head coach. Davie Chimwemwe Muyombe said his squad did not perform well due to lack of concentration in the first half of the game and over confidence of the players considering that they were leading the game with a goal.
"We have learned and gained a lot of experience in today's match and It was a very good game which has taught us something’s, we have to build concentration because the game was our side but players didn't take it instead they felt like they had already won the game," said Muyombe.
In other match of Silver Stickers against Mafco FC ended 5-1 in favour of the bankers at Silver Stadium while Creck Sporting against Mzuzu City Hammers game ended 1-2 in favour of Mzuzu City Hammers.
Limbe Police nabs four men for series of robberies in town
By Memory Khutuliwa
Blantyre, 28 April, Mana; Police in Limbe have arrested four men for allegedly committing a series of robberies in Limbe township where they broke into houses and shops and got away with various items since February this year.
Limbe Police Deputy Spokesperson, Chibisa Mulimbika told Malawi News Agency that police received reports that on the night of March 8, 2024, the group of criminals armed with panga knives tied guards at Dika Construction House and broke into five shops and got away various Isuzu motor vehicle spare parts and nine car batteries.
‘We launched an investigation which led to the arrest of Saidi Mambo, 32, Victor Chamasowa, 28, Patrick Chingwalu, 25, and Andrew Juma, 26, and we recovered the stolen items,’ he said.
Mulimbika added that the four confessed to be responsible for series of robberies in Limbe Township including that of a residential house in Kanjedza where they damaged two Toyota Vits and stole items valued at K2 million on the night of February 7, 2024.
‘The suspects are in custody waiting to appear before court as soon once investigations to recover remaining items are completed,’ Limbe Police deputy publicist added.
Mambo comes from Kaipa Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi district while Chamasowa is from Macheso Village, Traditional Authority Kapeni in Blantyre district,
Chingwalu comes from Chide Village, Traditional Authority, Bvumbwe, in Thyolo district and Juma is from Kandeu Village, Traditional Authority Ganya in Ntcheu district.
