By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, January 20, Mana: Ministry of Trade and Industry has expressed satisfaction with the progress of bee keeping initiatives in Nkhata Bay as evidenced by increased number of people joining and embracing new bee keeping technics.

Community Specialist for Honey for Transforming Agriculture, through Diversification and Entrepreneurship Program, Arthur Ngwende made the remarks on Friday in Nkhata Bay during a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders on bee keeping.

"Bee keeping in this district is on track as more and more small holder farmers are joining the venture. Currently, Nkhata Bay has 3,500 farmers and a good number of them are using modern technics to maximize honey production,” said Ngwende.

He hinted on the need for the bee keepers to put what they learn, through various capacity building trainings, into practice if they are to boost their honey productivity and income.

"Bee keeping has the potential to enhance households’ economic sustainability if farmers apply the knowledge they acquire through trainings for improved livelihood," he added.

In his remarks, Acting Director of Trade and Commence for Nkhata Bay District Council, Thanira Gondwe described the meeting as crucial in reviewing honey markets establishment strategies.

"The farmers need access to good markets where they can get good prices. We have very few markets and we need more outlets," said Gondwe.

Chairperson for Nkhata Bay District Disability Forum, McDwelings Nkhoma appealed for increased participation of more people with disabilities in bee keeping saying, currently, there are only a handful people involved in the initiative.

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, January 20, Mana: Farmers in Lilongwe district have commended Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) for equipping them with climate smart agricultural technologies which have helped restore degraded land.

Speaking on Friday during a media tour at Linthipe Catchment Area in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Chitekwere in the district, one of the farmers Damiano Chauwa said many people are now able to do their agricultural activities on the pieces of land which were abandoned for some time because of lack of fertile soil due to degradation as a result of run-off.

“We are happy now that we are able to use the farms that were abandoned many years ago because of run-off water as we were not able to harvest enough maize as most of the crops were being washed away,” he said.

He said his farm and others have benefited stone bunds and swales which were constructed and vertices grass was planted in his field which has helped mitigate the run-off.

Through the project, penetrating pits were also constructed which has helped reduce soil erosion as run off has completely been controlled.

According to Chauwa, the farmers are optimistic to have bumper yield this year.

Another participant from Kavunde Catchment Area in the area of Traditional Authority M’bang’ombe, Lex Kapaza, said the programme has assisted farmers to embrace new farming technologies which has dramatically helped them change their livelihood for the better.

“Let me take this opportunity to thank government for introducing CS-EPWP which is changing the lives of people. If you can go around, you will see that many of us have livestock because of this programme,” he said.

Lilongwe District Desk Officer for CS-EPWP, Setrida Mlamba, said it is interesting that communities in the district have embraced the programme and expressed optimism over the success of the programme citing current progress in the restoration of the degraded landscapes.

CS-EPWP is a component of Social Support for Resilience Livelihood Project (SSRLP), which is being facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with financial support from the Multi-Donor Trust Fund including the World Bank.

By Sheminah Nkhoma

Lilongwe, January 20, Mana: A Tanzanian based mining, exploration, oil and gas company, Azurite Management and Consultancy, has been launched in Malawi with an aim of giving professional and technical assistance to the mining industry in the country.

Speaking during the launch at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe on Friday, Minister of Mining Monica Chang’anamuno, hailed the launch of the company saying it will boost the mining sector in the country as it will be working with different companies in the mining sector. 

Chang’anamuno emphasized the importance of having such companies saying they are well experienced in the mining sector thereby helping in economic development.

“We are happy to launch this company as it will be giving services to large scale businesses that are into mining. Azurite Management and Consultancy is a company that is heavily grounded in the mining sector. The company aims to provide unparalleled expertise and support to mining companies,” Chang’anamuno said.

She added that Malawi Government is trying its best to give the private sector a conducive environment for them to come in with their different businesses.

Azurite Management and Consultancy Business Development Manager, Siziwe Mkandawire said Azurite saw that many people in the country lacked a professional advisor in the mining industry hence the launch of the company.

“We are here to explore possibilities in the mining industry like mining in Karonga and Balaka. As such, we want to give solutions to the problems which clients face in this industry,” she said.

Azurite Management and Consultancy will be working in collaboration with Malawi Government to create a productive mining industry.

By Maria Tembo

Ntchisi, January 17, Mana: Participants to the World Bank-funded Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in Banja micro-catchment in Senior Chief Nthondo, Ntchisi district have applauded the project saying it has brought developmental benefits.

One of the participants in the micro-catchment, which falls under Kavuma catchment area, Tiberia Nsungwi, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) during a media tour over the weekend that apart from the 10,000 tree seedlings that are meant to restore forest cover, the locals were also provided with fruit seedlings which have been transplanted in households of all the 99 participants.

“We have so far transplanted at least three personal paw-paw trees for each household some of which, when they are fully grown, will be consumed by our families while some will be sold and ordered out to other fruit selling business people. We have all hope that this will economically empower our households.

“We plan to plant more varieties of fruit trees through the same initiative and we believe that, going forward, more people will benefit from the same,” said Nsungwi.

A foreman for Kavuma catchment area, Angel Sauzande said, through the project, participants are able to support their families with basic needs through the monthly K28,000 payments they get for their participation.

Sauzande said when the tree nurseries grow into forests, they will serve multiple benefits in the catchment area including reversing climate change woes that have hit the district in the recent past due to land degradation.

“We have also suffered demolition of houses due to strong winds that often hit our catchment area and the forest will serve as a wind breaker to shield our houses” explained Sauzande.

The CW-EPWP is a government initiative being implemented in ten district councils by the National Local Government Finance Committee to enhance climate resilience.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, January 17, Mana: Standing in a hard to reach area and at a distance of about 56 kilometers from Dedza Boma, Chiitana is a full primary school under Group Village Headman Mwenje in Traditional Authority (TA) Kasumbu and boasts about over 800 learners.

The school, with insufficient desks, has only two temporary classroom blocks which were made possible with support from community members and other well-wishers of Indian origin.

The rest of the classrooms are improvised grass thatched posing threats to learners especially when the weather is not favorable. No wonder, for the past two academic years, when it turned into a full primary school, no learner has been sent to a national let alone a district secondary school.

Malawi News Agency (Mana) photojournalist, Steve Chirombo, captured the highlights.

By Rose Cross Mahorya

Mzuzu, January 17, Mana: National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) Trust has asked its volunteers to step up civic education activities as part of civic and voter education in readiness for elections.

Speaking on Tuesday during an orientation meeting at Bwengu in Mzimba North, NICE District Civic Education Officer for Rumphi, Mzimba North and Mzuzu City, Freency Mapanga said as elections are approaching, para-civic educators need to intensify civic education efforts so that more people register to vote.

“This meeting was held as a refresher for our para-civic educators specifically on their roles and duties as elections approach. They are key in disseminating information and governance messages hence the meeting was organized to ensure that messages on registration are sent across,” she said.

Aida Mdolo, a para-civic educator from Chizaula in Mzimba North appreciated NICE for the training which she said served as a timely reminder to their roles.

“It has been a while since we got a similar training. The refresher is timely as it comes at a time when registration for general elections is almost nigh,” she said.

According to recent electoral calendar released by Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC), phase 1 of registration for the 2025 general elections is expected to begin in September, this year.

By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe: January 17, Mana: Communities in Traditional Authority (TA) Kalumbu in Lilongwe have expressed excitement over the distribution of relief maize by government saying it will ease the challenges faced in the lean season.

Speaking on Tuesday during a maize distribution exercise at Mtenthera food distribution point, Group Village Head Funachina thanked government for the initiative saying the area is experiencing hunger as communities did not harvest much last year due to dry spells.

“I am happy to see this exercise happening in my area today. This will go a long way in reducing the problems people were facing, especially women and children,” he said.

Funachina, therefore, called on his subjects to use the maize donation for the intended purpose and not sell to vendors saying anyone who will be found doing that will face the law.

In his remarks, one of the beneficiaries Mtima Lyson assured government that they will use the relief maize received for the intended purpose and not sell.

“My family has suffered a lot in this lean season and I cannot make a grave mistake to sell this relief maize. I am so thankful to government for bailing us out from this dilemma,” she said.

Lilongwe District Risk Management Officer, Anganile Kalonga said government, through Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), will make sure that they reach all the vulnerable people in all TAs in the district.

About 1,419 beneficiaries received 50 kilogram of maize at Mtenthera food distribution point.

The project will run for four months. DoDMA is targeting 4.4 million beneficiaries across the country to receive relief items like maize and money.