By Ben Bamusi

Thyolo, October 20, Mana: Thyolo District Agriculture Development Office has launched a K12.6 million intra Extension Planning Area (EPA) Agricultural Trophy for Matapwata and Dwale EPAs.

The competition is meant to boost macadamia, fish and dairy farming as well as agroforestry among smallholder farmers in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Boyd.

Speaking at the launch on Friday at Naveya Ground, Thyolo North Member of Parliament, Ephraim Nayeja, commended the initiative saying it will enhance productivity by encouraging farmers to adopt modern farming methods while embracing soil and water conservation for sustainable agriculture.

“Farmers will work in their farms competing and at the same time increasing their yield,” said Nayeja.

He urged government to introduce additional value chains and create market opportunities for farmers.

Thyolo District Chief Agriculture Officer, Mphatso Kafuwa, said the competition will reward farmers with farm inputs and technology thereby promoting agricultural innovation.

She called on stakeholders for financial support to sustain community led initiatives.

The initiative's pioneer TA Boyd explained that this begun in 2021 after observing low crop productivity due to poor farming methods and limited land.

“Since then, farmers have experienced improved yields and attained greater food security,” said Boyd.

Model farmer in banana, fish, and dairy farming, Charles Buledi, shared how farming has transformed his life, earning him about K400,000 per month from dairy farming thereby improving household income.

He encouraged other farmers to take farming as a business for improved livelihood profits.

By George Mponda

Karonga, October 20, Mana: Karonga based bussiness persons have asked the acting District Commissioner (DC) Frank Mkandawire to ensure that mining deals signed by the council should benefit those doing business around the district.

The business persons led by their Chairperson, Peter Ngwire Viyuyi said this, Saturday when they held an engagement meeting with the DC to air out their concerns over mining deals.

Addressing the meeting, Viyuyi said; "From previous experiences with companies which had mining deals in our district like Paladin, the business as well as the Karonga community in general did not benefit a lot.

"Now we have heard that Lotus Resources Limited will be reopening Kayelekera mine and we have seen coasters which have come from Lilongwe ferrying people to and from the mine so we are worried already because Karonga also has buses which can do this job."

He said they are also worried with the lack of Karonga based people who have so far been employed at Kayelekera Uranium Mine and demanded to know the contents of the Community Development Agreement (CDA).

In his response Mkandawire hailed the business people for choosing dialogue over conducting violent demonstrations.

"Indeed Lotus Resources Limited has taken over Kayelekera Uranium Mine and they will reopen it soon. The council held meetings with Lotus officials and we emphasised that the Karonga communities should benefit from this mine," he said.

"Currently, the company has signed a Mine Development Agreement with the Government of Malawi and the acting Director of Planning and Development at the council held meetings with their Community Engagement Officer who assured us that they will conduct separate meetings with various stakeholders like business people, journalists, Chiefs, Civil Society Organisations and Council Officials before signing the CDA."he added.

Mkandawire assured the business people and Karonga residents that all mining deals struck with the council will be transparent and beneficial to them.

Lotus currently holds an 85% interest in the project, with the Malawian government owning the remaining 15%. The mine’s majority ownership was previously held by Paladin Energy.

By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, October 20, Mana: Members of Saints Peter and Paul, Chilobwe Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Blantyre took a 12 kilometre fundraising big walk on Saturday to raise K10 million for the church renovation.

Parish Priest, Fr. Symon Moffat has, therefore, urged congregants to continue participating in various fundraising activities meant for the church renovation project.

He told Malawi News Agency (MANA) after the big walk that the parish thought of the big walk to mobilize funds to renovate the church in preparation for 50 years anniversary.

“The church is in our hands and for this reason we need to do things on our own without relying on donors outside the country. This is why I am urging all Christians from Saints Peter & Paul Chilobwe Parish to work together for the project,” Fr, Moffat said.

He thanked those that took part in the big walk from Chilobwe Parish through Zingwangwa, Kudya, Catholic Institute, Stella Maris and back to Chilobwe Parish.

Chairperson for Saints Peter & Paul Church Council, Harris Kachale, appealed to organizations and individuals of good will to support the parish with funds or various materials to speed up the project.

“We need more resources such as cement, tiles and paint. We are, therefore, requesting people of good will to come and join us on this project with whatever they have,” he said.

Chairperson of the Project Committee, Matias Jowack, said the project is meant to chance the appearance of the church in and out, as it has taken many years without major renovations.

“We want to put new tiles, new comfortable chairs and new look for our church entrance. The whole project will cost K52 million. The first phase is to do modification of the church entrance and this will commence on October, 21 followed by fixing of tiles on November 4,” he said.

According to Jowack, the parish will organize other fundraising activities to mobilize extra financial resources for the project.

Agnes Phiri, from Saint Kizito Mphakati in the parish encouraged fellow Christians to take part in every fundraising activity.

Saints Peter & Paul Parish was established in 1975.

By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, October 5, Mana: St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Choir under St Charles Lwanga Parish in Zomba Diocese will on Sunday launch an audio album titled Pitani Kalalikileni at Banja Loyera, Chilinde Parish in Lilongwe.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Friday, Edward Lino Kalemba, who is the choirmaster, said preparation are underway for the worship day.

“As a choir, we are preparing for this very important day because we want to make it unforgettable. We are happy because the guest choir on this day will be St Johns Msamba Choir 1,” he said.

Kalemba said they have decided to name the new album Pitani Kalalikileni to inform other gospel singers and all people to go in different parts of the country to preach the gospel of the Lord.

“There may still be other areas where people have not heard the gospel, that is why we are telling our fellow choristers and other gospel singers to continue preaching the word of God,” Kalemba said.

The album, which has 12 songs, will be available in CDs and flash discs with Ndikupembedza inu, Mulungu wathu wopatsa, tiimbire lero, Mkulu wa Ansembe onse, and Miphakati as some of the songs.

“Some of the songs are from our Catholic hymn and prayers book. We are hoping that these songs will lift up the hearts of listeners,” he said.

He said the choir is launching the album in Lilongwe because they wanted to engage people from the district and to open up new relationship.

Supporting choirs that will be present on the day are Chanco Alumni, Bunda CSO, all choirs from Mtima Woyera Deanery and others from Lilongwe Archdiocese.

By Dalitso Kampira

Thyolo, October 19, Mana: Over 33,804 small-scale farmers in Thyolo are set to benefit from the 2024/2025 Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP), to improve food security at household level.

Speaking at a full Council meeting on Friday, Agriculture Service Committee, Chairperson, Councilor George Matiya, said the AIP will significantly boost productivity as small scale farmers will buy farm inputs at affordable prices.

“The programme will help farmers to buy fertilsers to increase yield. It is pleasing that the programme targets farmers with land capable of producing sufficient food crops,

“This was not the case in the past when even those without farm land received inputs only to sell them,” he said.

Matiya also assured farmers who are not included in the AIP beneficiary list that the government has alternative measures to assist them.

“National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) is offering loans to farmers to purchase farm inputs. Farmers that are not on AIP list should take advantage of this opportunity,” Matiya added.

The Agriculture Service Committee Chairperson observed that if the AIP in the district is properly implemented, it will benefit the intended recipients, saying this will address food and nutrition insecurity.

“If executed very well, it will reduce issues such as vendors dominating the market and manipulating the system by purchasing inputs meant for the beneficiaries,” he added.

Traditional Authority, Kapichi also expressed appreciation for the 2024/2025 AIP, noting that the programme will help reduce hunger at household level and entire district.

Chief Agricultural Officer for Thyolo District Council, Mphatso Mbulukwa Kafuwa, said there was need to adhere to the AIP implementation guidelines for best results.

“We were here to inform the full council about the importance of following AIP guidelines and procedures. We explained the number of beneficiaries per EPA, per Traditional Authority. Local leaders have a role to play to ensure success of this year’s AIP,” she said.

President Lazarus Chakwera launched 2024/2025 growing season AIP at Dzundu Primary School, at Zalewa in Neno District on October 14.

Registered small-scale farmers are expected to receive 50 kilogramme bags of UREA and CAN fertilidsers

By Ivy Yohane

Blantyre, October 19, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust in Blantyre has embarked on a district wide awareness campaign to mobiles eligible citizens to get registered for the 2025 general election.

NICE Trust, District Programme Officer for Blantyre, Glory Ngosi Maulidi, told the Malawi News Agency (Mana), this week that (during the awareness) the trust emphasizes on; citizens’ democratic right to vote, duties and responsibilities of president, members of parliament and ward council councilors in democracy and good governance.

“More civic education will centre on the negative effects of handouts so that voters are not manipulated by handouts. We will also make emphasis on peace building to prevent conflicts and violence during campaign period and elections and after elections results,” she added.

Maulidi said that NICE trust faces challenges during this campaign citing that some people were showing no interest to take part in elections.

“Some people still vow not to vote but we keep on encouraging them to vote because it is their democratic right. We also having mobility problem as NICE Zone Coordinators fail to conduct door-to-door mobilization because they have vast area to cover, “she added.

In a separate interview Political Analyst, Chimwemwe Tsitsi, commended NICE Trust for embarking on civic education, saying this was timely and necessary as this will contribute to high voter turnout for the registration.

“Civic education is crucial in attaining higher turnout. In every election there are new voters, those that have just reached 18 and probably new procedures in the voting process.

“With illiteracy levels in some areas, this justifies need for intensified voter civic education,” the political analyst said.

He observed that limited information on general election and related electoral procedures has potential to prevent people from voter registration.

“There is need for social media to be used vigorously alongside conventional media and traditional face-to-face initiatives as well as using text messages sent directly through the mobile service providers to ensure that as many people as possible are reached,” Tsitsi added.

Voter registration in Blantyre will run from November 9 to 22, which is phase two of the voter’s registration.