By Mary Makhiringa
Balaka, June 6 Mana: Balaka Full Council Meeting has approved K249 billion 2022–2030 District Development Plan (DDP) whose priority is food security.
Presenting the plan to the council members in the week, Director of Economic Planning and Development for Balaka Council, Chris Nawata, said after a thorough consultation with the grassroots across the district, the plan has 14 key priority areas that need attention, with food security topping the list.
He said every stakeholder in the formulation of the DDP was given a chance to contribute so that the 2022-2030 DDP is a true reflection of what people in Balaka need.
“We noted that almost in all Village Level Action Plans (VLAPs) issues of food security were mentioned as number one area of focus. In the years to come, we would like to promote use of drought tolerant and early maturing crops varieties to suit the kind of rains we receive.
“Apart from that, we will also strengthen agricultural extension and advisory services delivery mechanism where irrigation will also be enhanced so that we, at least, raise the food security of our district from the current 20 percent to 40 percent,” Nawata added.
According to the Director, the DDP also captures low average household income, high morbidity and mortality rate, high illiteracy levels and poor access to affordable and clean water, among other areas.
“The passing of the DDP today entails that we have a clear direction as far as the development agenda is concerned, these are the issues that the people out there are looking for. The DDP formulation process followed decentralisation guidelines.
“Now that we have the plan, the entire district owns it, which means every partner, investor even government projects, coming into the district must align their efforts to the plan. It is therefore not us the council alone that is mandated to work towards funding implementation of the plan,” the director added.
On the previous DDP (from 2017 to 2023), Nawata said the council tried to work towards fulfilling key priority areas that were listed.
“We prioritised access to clean water, and we worked towards that, and if you see in this plan, the access to portable and clean water is coming 9th which means the situation has changed for the better through various interventions that we, together with other players, instituted,” he said.
Balaka District Council Chairperson, Councillor Pharao Kambiri pledged a political will towards implementation of the DDP.
“We cannot win if we only wait from the council alone to help in implementing the plan. We need to make people understand that due to the fact that the globe is experiencing climate change, our people must be ready to adopt irrigation farming which is very possible as we have water around us,
“Most of the problems are interlinked, once a person has enough food at a household level, you will see that he or she will have the energy to do other things to improve his or her home, in the process issue of low-income levels which is coming second in the plan will not be there,” he added
Kambiri also called for adequate funding and collective implementation of the Balaka DDP for positive results.
