By Chilungamo Missi

Chiradzulu, January 11, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale says government is committed to promote tobacco farming in all regions of the country as there are more markets internationally that are set to buy Malawian tobacco.

Kawale made the remarks in Chiradzulu on Wednesday when he visited one of the tobacco fields in Traditional Authority (TA) Sandiraki to appreciate how tobacco farming is fairing in the district.

He said his ministry is committed to continue supporting farmers and working with buyers to offer good prices for the farmers to realize good profits hence his visit was aimed to understand the challenges facing the growers.

“Ministry of Agriculture works with small, medium and large-scale farmers to find out how we can support them in the tobacco industry. In the field we visited today, the family has been growing tobacco since 2001 and over the years they have been meeting challenges which we have been addressing.

“Most of the issues which they had have been addressed in the recent tobacco bill that has just been passed and the reason we came is to assure the farmers that government is taking care of the problems raised,” he said.

Kawale, therefore, encouraged farmers to embrace tobacco farming saying tobacco can be grown anywhere in the country adding his ministry is yet to embark on a massive campaign to encourage farmers to grow more tobacco since there is plenty markets.

Speaking in an interview, a tobacco farmer whose field was visited, Wyson Komwa said he has been growing tobacco for 21 years but has been realizing low profits due to low prices.

He added that climate change effects have also been affecting the farming.

In the previous growing season, Komwa realized about K4.7 million.

He said, with support from government together with his fellow farmers, he can do even more in the tobacco industry and continue contributing to the country’s development.

He, therefore, hailed the minister for finding time to visit farmers and hear their problems, a gesture described as courageous to farmers as well as those who aspire to start tobacco farming in the area.

By Bishop Witmos

Mangochi, January 11, Mana: Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba has commissioned a research vessel on Lake Malawi which will be used for scanning resources that are found below the surface of water including generating maps for navigation of ships that sail on the lake.

The vessel, which is called Timber, was assembled in 1989 but has been off lake for 17 years since 2006 after it broke down.

Speaking during the commissioning of the vessel in Monkey Bay, Mangochi on Wednesday, Gumba said the ship will help enhance hydrographic surveys on the lake as well as improving economic status of the country through revenue generation.

“This vessel will enable us conduct more research within the blue economy because it has equipment which is able to scan and measure anything below the surface of the water.

“The development will, in one way, provide us an opportunity to boost revenue. For instance, right now, we have people from England, who have come to do some research on Lake Malawi. They have already borrowed it for three months, to pay us K1,650,000 per day; the revenue that we have been looking for,” said Gumba.

Gumba said there was a gap during the time the vessel was off water as other important services within his ministry were not adequately done.

Government has managed to buy two engines that have enabled the vessel to bounce back with full force.

In his remarks, Surveyor General under the Department of Survey in the Ministry of Lands, Masida Mbano, said the vessel has been maintained with state of the art equipment so that it can also be used by other security bodies for marine services.

“Inside it, we have an equipment called multi-beam equal sounder which scans the depth of water on the lake and produces maps that are used for navigation of ships that sail on the lake. This can enable security agencies to operate marine services,” said Mbano.

By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, January 10, Mana: Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change Micheal Usi has said fish farming has potential of contributing the country’s economy and become a significant forex earner for Malawi.

Usi made the remarks on Wednesday during a familiarisation tour at Kasinthula Aquaculture Centre in Chikwawa district.  

“For Malawi to develop, we need to export more, and fish is one of the products we can be exporting,” he said adding fish farming industry is already making strides.

“We have been importing fish feed, but we are now producing feed in Malawi, meaning fish production will also grow and today we are here discussing plans to establish an aquaculture park at Kasinthula to grow our economy," he said.

On how to address obstacles to achieve these plans, Usi said bureaucracy should not hinder development.

“There will be investors coming in, so we do not expect an officer to sit on a document and delay progress just because a document is not signed, within two years, the country should improve productivity in terms of fish,” he added.

"We are also learning from other countries that are doing well in this industry and we are assessing ourselves to see how the country can be more attractive to investors. The country has resources in terms of land and water, but we need the investors' financial muscle,” said the minister.

Usi further revealed that plans are under way to establish eight Aquaculture mega farms in the country.

In his remarks, Deputy Director of Fisheries in the department, Brino Chirwa said Kasinthula has about 300 hectares of land and this land is fully utilised through a fish mega farm saying over 3000 tonnes of fish can be produced from Kasinthula Aquaculture Centre alone.

Chirwa described Kasinthula Aquaculture Park as an enormous game-changer project.

“Government is investing a lot through infrastructure development and at the park we will have a step of the fish hatchery, laboratories for research, and a training centre to build capacity of fish farmers,” said Chirwa.

He then concurred with Usi that fish production has the potential of bringing in forex.

“In countries like Philippines, fish business is doing well and Malawi can also do well,” he said.

By Chilungamo Missi

Blantyre, January 9, Mana: Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale is impressed with the progress of Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) in Chiradzulu District where most AIP beneficiaries have managed to buy fertilizer.

Kawale made the remarks in the district on Tuesday when he visited Chiradzulu Smallholder Farmers Fertilizer Revolving Fund (SFFRFM) to appreciate how the selling of affordable inputs is going on in the district.

Kawale was happy to see depots fully stocked with fertilizer saying government is doing a good job to ensure that people have access to affordable farm inputs.

“We have heard from clerks, councilors and the Member of Parliament that AIP went extremely well in Chiradzulu.

“I am happy that almost everyone bought fertilizer and we have so much stock in the warehouses where clerks are waiting for people to come and buy,” said Kawale who later visited maize selling points.

He said government expects a lot of farmers to have good harvest this year saying all the challenges that marred AIP were solved.

He added that people who are currently spreading information that AIP is facing challenges are not aware of the real situation on the ground.

Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu Central Constituency, McTimes Malowa said out of 1900 AIP beneficiaries in the area, 85 percent have accessed their fertilizer and is optimistic that the remaining 15 percent will buy their fertilizer because the depots are fully stocked.

He said: “Going forward, we urge government to consider registering AIP beneficiaries based on Village Head Areas instead of Group Village Heads. This will ensure that every village has enough beneficiaries because the number of beneficiaries was very low in other villages.”

In his remarks, Group Village Head Mbalame hailed government for ensuring that people in his area have access to affordable farm inputs.

 He appealed to government to consider increasing the number of beneficiaries in the next farming season so that the area can achieve food security.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, January 9, Mana: Member of Parliament for Kasungu North East Constituency, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, has donated K10 million to Thumba Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) to assist towards the roofing of a multi-million new prayer house.

Making the donation on Sunday, Wirima said it was sad to see that Thumba CCAP, which is considered the mother for all CCAP churches in Chamama area was still congregating in an old dilapidated structure.

She said: “Last year when I came for a Women’s Conference here at Thumba CCAP, I heard God talking to me that I must do something. When I went back home, I contemplated on this and decided that I must help.

“I sponsor a football league to the tune of K10 million and I thought it wise that it must be another K10 million for the church. Why not? I was confident because I knew that the same God that talked to me to help will assist me with this money.”

Wirima, who is also Minister of Education, was happy that God has fulfilled the promise she made, thanking the congregation for their courage to embark on a new big church structure.

Receiving the donation, the church minister Reverend Berson Magombo said church members have worked hard and dug deep into their pockets to erect the new structure estimated to cost K100 million.

Said Magombo: “Before devaluation, our budget was around K56 million but now the cost would hit K100 million. This is a lot of money. So, I’m thankful to God for giving us this MP who is always with us.

“As a church we are very excited that our project is nearing completion and we are looking for funds for roofing. I must say that the donation that the MP has made today will go towards roofing of the church.”   

The reverend also took time to advise politicians saying they must be people of high integrity and must be true to their word.

“We don’t want leaders who are dishonest and keep changing colours. We want leaders who talk peace and have the welfare of the people at heart. These characters are found in people who fear God,” he said.

Thumba CCAP prayer house was constructed in 1946 and 78 years down the line, the structure stands in a dilapidated shape.

By Joel Phiri

Mzimba, January 8, Mana: Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa-Wirima says Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’belwa University in Mzimba is set to open its doors in August 2025 with an initial intake of 500 students.

According to Wirima, the university, formerly known as Mombera, will comprise school of basic sciences, school of veterinary medicine and school of animal science.

Speaking on Monday in Mzimba during a tour of the construction site, Wirima said first phase of construction works that have started at the site will complete in June 2025.

The phase comprises construction of school of basic sciences plus its ancillary structure, consisting of administration blocks, hostels, staff houses, cafeteria, auditorium, multipurpose hall, sports facilities, clinic, commercial complex and waste management systems.

‘‘The university’s construction works will be done in phases till its total completion in 2027. The first phase includes construction of two hostels. These are female and male hostels and will take 18 months. The companies constructing these hostels, Dec Construction company and Paramount Holdings Limited, are expected to complete the construction by June 2025,’’ said Wirima.

Wirima said government is committed and serious to see the construction works of the K190 billion first phase completed so that the first cohort of students starts learning next year.

The cost for the entire university construction, expected to complete in 2027, is pegged at K450 billion and the university will have an enrolment capacity of 10,000 students, according to Wirima.

She said government will ensure funds are made available to ensure works are not interrupted.

Wirima further said that construction and completion of the university will help government in absorbing huge volumes of students looking for university education opportunities.

Managing Director for Paramount Holdings Limited, Prakash Ghedia, said they are geared up for the works and assured the minister the construction works will be done to perfection by the deadline of June 2025.

District Commissioner for Mzimba, Rodney Simwaka, said the council is excited with the resumption of the construction works of the university, as it will help offer jobs to young people and also create business opportunities for people based in Mzimba.

By Yamikani Yapuwa

Thyolo, January 6, Mana: People in Thyolo district have expressed hope that trees being planted under Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) will help to avert effects of climate change that come due to absence of trees.

Speaking during a supervision visit on Friday, one of the participants of the programme under Chimbidzi Catchment in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Changata, Mphatso Chandamale, said trees that were planted last cycle look promising since people are now aware of the importance of trees.

"Our area was heavily affected by the Cyclone Freddy with lots of roofs blown away. This happened because we have no trees to protect us from the strong winds.

"But with the coming of this programme, we are sure that in the next three to four years, it will be a thing of the past because the whole area will be covered and there will be protection from strong winds,” he said.

Another participant, Donata Phiri, whose house was damaged by strong winds, said the programme has even inspired her to plant more trees in the hotshots as well as around her house after having a bad experience from the effects of climate change.

"My house is located where wind blows heavily because there is no any tree around. It is against this background that I will plant more trees around my house so that similar incidents can be avoided in future," she said.

Desk Officer for CS-EPWP in Thyolo, Francis Yohane, said it is encouraging to see communities embracing the programme, observing that this is a symbol that people have started owning it.

He added that the second cycle has started well in all the 16 catchments where the programme is being implemented and participants are expected to continue planting trees, as well as carrying out water and land conservation activities.

CS-EPWP, a programme under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP), is being implemented with support from the Malawi Social Protection Multi Donor Trust funded by World Bank, USAID, Iceland, Ireland, UK-FCDO, EU and Norway.