By Andrew Phiri

Balaka, January 30, Mana: At least 1.5 million trees are set to be planted in Balaka following the launch of the Tree Planting Season in the district, with a deliberate focus on Fruit Trees.

Balaka District Commissioner, Tamanya Harawa disclosed this on Wednesday at Liwonde Primary School in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Chimatiro when the council launched the Tree Planting Season.

Harawa explained that the council has adopted the 2024/2025 national theme of restoring the forest and land to secure food production hence a large part of fruit trees have been included to help boost the availability of food in the form of fruits in the district.

"Malawi is an agro-based nation and the behaviour of our climate has also a big impact on food production hence we are encouraging the people to take good care of the trees to improve the availability of fruits and rains," he said.

Harawa said the programme will encourage community members to take an active role in order to make sure that there is a high survival rate of trees.

"We have noted that the major challenge in this initiative is taking care of the trees hence we have engaged the community to own the trees," he said.

Project Coordinator for Transforming Landscape and Livelihood, Nyuma Mughogho has commended the initiative, saying it will complement their effort of encouraging people in Balaka to plant trees at the right time.

"Planting trees during the onset of rainy season allows it to establish properly hence having a high survival rate.

"We have been working with communities by teaching them how they should plant their trees, construct fire breaks and also prevent animals such as goats that may destroy the trees," she added.

The Tree Planting Season in the country began on December 15, 2024, and will end on April 15, 2025. 

By Memory Chatonda

Blantyre, January 30, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has partnered with District Information Officers (DIOs) across the country to intensify community engagement and awareness of the Personal Data Protection Act.

The Data Protection Act seeks to provide for the protection of information that can be used to identify a person, such as name, identification number, location, facial recognition, fingerprints and nationality to prevent privacy violations.

MACRA Head of Data Protection, Daniel Chiwoni said the information officers being the mouthpieces of the government play a crucial role in communicating with the public and managing the reputation of their respective institutions.

Chiwoni was speaking on Wednesday in Blantyre during a day-long training workshop on data protection awareness for DIOs which was organized to deepen stakeholders understanding of the Act and enhance compliance with the legislation.

“It is essential that you are knowledgeable about the principles of personal data protection such as lawfulness (the legal basis for processing personal information) and consent (whether the data subject has given explicit consent to the processing of their personal data for one or more specific purposes).

“Knowledge of personal data protection principles enables effective communication of privacy policies, data handling practices and commitment to safeguarding individuals’ personal information,” he said.

Chiwoni, therefore, encouraged Information Officers to utilize various media channels suitable in their respective districts to sensitize communities on the Act to protect their privacy.

However, Chiwoni cautioned that mishandling of personal data could lead to huge reputational risks for any organization.

He advised the DIOs to be aware of the potential risks associated with data breaches, unauthorized disclosures or privacy violations especially in the digital era and to take proactive measures to mitigate those risks.

District Information Officer for Thyolo, Yamikani Yapuwa hailed MACRA for inculcating knowledge among the DIOs about the Act.

Yapuwa asked MACRA to support the information officers with necessary resources to intensify awareness campaigns on the Act through radio programmes and other interactive sessions.

The Data Protection Act became operational in June last year and this year’s Data Privacy Week which runs from January 27 to January 31 is being commemorated under the theme: ‘Put Privacy First.’

By Brian Wasili

Mwanza, January 30, Mana: Mwanza District Council has presented a K14, 361, 086, 348.00 budget to the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) during this year's national budget review session at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre on Wednesday.

During the session, Mwanza District Commissioner, Dr. Martha Magreta Sineta said K7, 433, 566,149.00 is for personal emoluments, K932, 552, 907.00 Other Recurrent Transactions, K3, 736, 578, 000.00 Climate Smart - Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) activities, while Social Cash Transfer's budget at K1, 114, 774, 300.00 and K190, 643, 000.00 is projected to be generated through local revenue among other financing channels.

"There is optimism that the activities in the budget will be achieved as projected because of several innovative approaches to expand our local revenue base which have been introduced apart from the transfer of funds," said Magreta.

She added that continuing direct support to public primary schools, increasing CS-EPWP and beneficiaries of social cash transfer (SCT) are some of the major planned activities included in the budget.

The budget review session was meant to critique and validate the council budget and ensure that it is aligned with the national priority areas towards the achievement of the government's development goals and the Malawi Vision 2063 Agenda.

In an interview, NLGFC Budget Analyst, Jonathan Banda described the meeting as crucial because it provides and analyses whether the budget guidelines given to the councils in November 2024 were followed.

"Ideally it was expected that by December last year, all councils would be ready with their respective budgets to be implemented in the upcoming 2025/26 fiscal year with programmes such as Governance to Enable Service Delivery, CS-EPWP, SCT and Regional Climate Resilience funding windows embedded in the budget," said Banda.

The budget review sessions started on January 20 and are expected to be concluded on January 31, 2025, after engagement with all councils

By George Mponda

Karonga, January 30, Mana: Lotus Resources Limited has committed 0.45 percent of its gross sales to a Community Development Fund (CDF), which will be managed by a steering committee composed of community members living within a 20-kilometre radius of the Kayelekera Mine.

The company’s Finance and Commercial Manager, Ahamad Swendeh, announced on Wednesday during an orientation session on financial management for the steering committee held at Lotus Africa Limited (LAL).

Swendeh said: “With the funds allocated for community development, the steering committee will have the power to select the type of infrastructure projects to be implemented in their communities".

He further explained that a technical subcommittee, consisting of government officials at the council level, will guide to ensure the projects align with community needs.

Additionally, the steering committee will oversee the projects throughout their implementation.

Swendeh also cautioned committee members against corruption and prioritizing personal interests over community welfare, warning that such practices could lead to conflicts between the communities and the company.

“Transparency, accountability, and proper planning by the steering committee are key to ensuring sustainability and equitable development,” he emphasized.

In his remarks, Steering Committee Chairperson Austin Mwanguku commended Lotus Resources Limited for providing financial management training, describing it as crucial for enhancing financial literacy among members.

“The training has been beneficial, and every member has gained valuable financial management skills. To ensure sustainable and equitable projects, we will engage community members in selecting projects and involve them in supervisory roles,” Mwanguku explained.

The steering committee which serves as a bridge between the local population and LAL will be responsible for managing the CDF and ensuring that development projects reflect community priorities.

By George Mponda

Karonga, January 30, Mana: Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works Peter Dimba has said Karonga International Airport is ready to resume receiving scheduled flights after a 15-year wait.

Dimba said this Wednesday when he inspected Karonga International Airport in preparation for the resumption of flights in the northern region.

"Compared to Mzuzu Aiport, Karonga has a longer runway and what is remaining here is to resurface it with asphalt and erect a perimeter fence for security. I was talking with a flight safety officer from Malawi Airlines who told me that a Boeing 700 could land here.

"Unscheduled flights will resume in February and scheduled flights will start as soon as Mzuzu Airport is ready. In addition, partners from Kayelekera Uranium Mine run by Lotus Africa Limited have pledged to offer support for the airport to be fit to receive flights," Dimba said.

The Deputy Minister added that flights from Karonga International Airport will reduce the distances people travel to and from the district which is a mining and tourism hub.

Malawi Airlines Flight Safety Officer, Captain Frank Madzi said Karonga International Airport needs an additional fire truck and others.

"We intend to bring category five airplanes and these need the presence of two fire trucks but as for the other structures, these can be done while flights are landing and taking off from here," Madzi said.

By Wellington Sibale

Neno, January 30, Mana: Police officers have been encouraged to adopt Digital Financial Services (DFS) to reduce theft and fraud incidents.

Speaking during a DFS panel discussion at Neno Police Station on Wednesday, Neno District DFS Supervisor Andrew Chafwala emphasized the role of law enforcement in promoting digital financial adoption.

“As the government pushes for broader adoption of digital financial services, we urge police officers to take the lead. Platforms like Airtel Money, TNM Mpamba, and various banks offer secure and convenient services,” said Chafwala.

Officer-in-Charge at Neno Police Station, Sydon Mpina, echoed the call, stressing that digital platforms ensure faster and safer transactions.

 He, however, cautioned officers against sharing their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to avoid fraud.

“Even high-profile individuals, including ministers and officers, have been targeted by fraudsters. We must remain vigilant and never share sensitive financial information,” Mpina warned.

Victim Support Unit Coordinator Sub-Inspector Gertrude Phwete commended the discussion, stating that DFS could help curb financial crimes.

“We have handled several theft and fraud cases. Encouraging digital financial services can significantly reduce such incidents. Community policing has been raising awareness about fraud prevention,” Phwete said.

The DFS campaign, a collaboration between the government and the Ministry of Finance, aims to promote financial inclusion and educate the public on digital financial tools.

It has already engaged Village Savings and Loans Groups and bicycle taxi operators, recently expanding to students and educators.

By Andrew Phiri

Balaka, January 30, Mana: Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima has said Government is committed to improve the teaching and learning environment for primary and secondary schools in the country.

Wirima made the sentiments on Wednesday when she toured the newly constructed classrooms and toilets under Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP) at Ferry Primary School in Balaka District.

According to the Minister, the construction of over 10,000 classrooms under MERP across the country will help to reduce the challenge of congestion in both primary and secondary schools.

"I am very excited to see that the project is bearing fruits as now our children can enjoy learning in modern classrooms here at Ferry Primary School. Government believes this will help schools serve more children", she said.

She added that MERP has helped to create a conducive learning environment that has also enabled learners to perform well in their education.

She said: "It is the utmost goal of Government to improve the primary and secondary education in the country and it is for this reason that we have also previously employed over 4,000 auxiliary teachers in primary schools"

Wirima therefore called for a concerted effort from all stakeholders in the education sector to provide adequate teaching and learning materials in order to further improve education in Malawi.

Meanwhile, Chairperson for Balaka District Council, Pharao Kambiri has applauded Government for putting primary and secondary education at heart saying it will help to brighten the future of children in the district.

He said the council will continue working tirelessly and collectively to improve the education of children in Balaka.

Funded by the World Bank and the Global Partnership on Education (GPE), MERP has been implemented for over four years across the country to improve the learning environment in the lower education sector.

Lilongwe, January 30, Mana: Parliamentary Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism met with the Ministry of Trade and Industry together with the Ministry of Agriculture on Wednesday in the parliament building, where they had a round table discussion on the progress of the Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) that is taking place in Chikwawa.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA), Vice Chairperson of the committee, Arthur Chipungu said the aim of the project is to improve agriculture productivity and promote the export process of the country through mega-farms.

“The project is all about collecting water from the Shire River to some areas that are having rain problems through the irrigation canal that is about 140 kilometres,” said Chipungu.      

Geoffrey Mamba, Principal Secretary, Irrigation Services in the Ministry of Agriculture said SVTP is receiving funding from the World Bank and the government saying there has been a significant investment in the project so far.

“About 300 million US dollars are being invested, and besides construction, the funds are also being used to establish cooperatives and provide cooperative education”

“We are improving in terms of our airlines that will be in a position to uplift some of the crops that would be coming from the valley into South Africa and other markets,” said Mamba.

Mamba continued to say that Illovo is one of the companies that will benefit from the canal, and livestock production will also thrive as the area is being transformed through this project.     

More than 25 crops, including cotton, beans, groundnuts, fruits, and vegetables, are being

By Sheminah Nkhoma

Lilongwe, January 30, Mana: Senior International Researcher Dr Greenwell Matchaya of Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) has called for more investment in agricultural research and innovation to transform food systems in the country.

Speaking as an eminent speaker during the 14th Ndizotheka eminent speakers series on Wednesday in Lilongwe, Matchaya said the country needs to invest in new technologies like the use of artificial intelligence ( AI) to help in agricultural development.

He said, that as a country, Malawi has been doing well in the agricultural sector but there is a need to improve and embrace modern technology in the agricultural.

“As we know the world is developing so like Malawi, we need to change the ways of doing our agricultural system, technology should be used in the agricultural industry like the use of machines in fields can help to improve the productivity of farmers if we want to boost our economy,” said Matchaya.

Director responsible for knowledge and learning at National Planning Commission, Joseph Nagoli said, it is important to do more research so that Malawi can go beyond the normal practice of agriculture and venture into modern farming.

“We should go beyond just producing the food but looking on how best we can benefit from that food including processing the food, human capital development and packaging of agricultural products,” he said.

Programme Manager for livelihood resilience at Oxfam Steve Kulivazi commended the event as it provided stakeholders a platform to discuss ways to improve the country's food systems.

Mwapata Institute, National Planning Commission and Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in partnership with Oxfam organized the event with financial support from Germany Cooperation through GIZ.

The event was held under the theme “Leveraging Food Systems Transformation to Achieve Livelihoods Resilience, Nutrition Security and Environment Sustainability in Malawi.

By Bazilio Chingoli 

Ntcheu, January 30, Mana: Youths from Ntcheu district have been encouraged to listen Radio programmes that can help transform their lives.

The remarks were made by Bruce Matabwa, Green Jobs For Adolescent Youth (GJ4AY), Project Coordinator for Ntcheu district during a 4-day radio listening club training which took place in the area of Sub Traditional Authority Tsikulamowa in the district.

Matabwa said radio listening groups are eyes and ears for behavior change in their areas.

"We have created these radio listening clubs so that they should be gathering together and listen to programmes that will transform their lives and be able to discuss how they can address problems they face in their lives through listening to Tidzidalire Achinyamata radio programmes," he said.

According to Matabwa, it is important to impart young people with radio listening skills so that they are able to appreciate what their fellow youths from other areas are doing to earn a living as well as protecting the environment.

On his part, Mathews Longwe, a member of Manjawila-Njoka radio listening club said the training is an eye-opener to them as they will start using the Radio to benefit GJ4AY project participants and their respective communities.

"We have learnt that as youths we can come together and listen to Radio programmes and discuss matters of our interest while shaping our lives in the long run and improve our livelihood," said Longwe.

Martha Gobede, Community Agent for GJ4AY project advised youth to be open to each other when discussing things that affect their lives after listening to radio programmes.

Green Jobs For Adolescent Youth is a 3 years project which is being implemented among youths of Senior Chief Ganya, Masasa and Sub Traditional Authorities Tsikulamowa and Mkutumula in Ntcheu district with funding from Save the Children Italia.