MANAonline
TRADE project lauded for improving livelihoods of rural farmers
By Dalitso Kampira
Thyolo, September 19, Mana: Agriculture officials and dairy farmers in Thyolo District have lauded the Transforming Agriculture Through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)" project for significantly improving livelihoods.
In an interview on Wednesday after touring Dwale and Thyolo Centre Extension Planning Areas (EPAs), Thyolo TRADE Desk Officer Kingsley Masinga said the project focuses on empowering farmers to treat farming as a business through supporting Milk Bulking Groups (MBGs).
"It is encouraging to see farmers not only focusing on production but also on selling their produce," Masinga said.
He said the project has made good progress particularly in moving from community-level engagement and planning to a more personalized, family-level approach, this, he said, has resulted in better outcomes at the household level.
Masinga said on a larger scale, the TRADE project also includes infrastructure development, with renovations of MBGs, roads, and bridges currently underway.
An Extension Worker for Mtambanyama MBGs in Thyolo Centre EPA, Dyton Kafulama said dairy farming has greatly benefited farmers, enabling them to meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter, and school fees.
"The TRADE project is an eye-opener for farmers, helping them diversify their farming. They are now growing various crops such as soyabeans, tomatoes, cabbages, and maize, in addition to selling milk," said Kafulama.
A beneficiary from Mpeni MBG, Titani Banda, expressed gratitude to the TRADE project for promoting gender balance in her household.
The six-year project, implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, is being carried out in 10 districts including Thyolo, Blantyre, Dedza, Lilongwe, Kasungu, Mchinji, Nkhata Bay, Chitipa, and Karonga.
It is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Open Fund for International Development.
President Chakwera to hold Malawi Partners Conference
By Arkangel Tembo, New York, USA
New York, September 18, Mana: President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will engage several stakeholders and donors during the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States of America to discuss issues to do with agriculture for sustainable food security.
The theme for the partner's conference will be: Securing Our Future, Enhancing Investment in Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.
Ambassador Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, who is also Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malawi to the United Nations told Malawi News Agency in an interview on Wednesday that during the Malawi Partners Conference, several investors and donors will come together to discuss what they can invest in Malawi to ensure sustainable food and nutritional security.
"With El Nino which led to so many disasters in terms of agricultural produce, Malawi has low produce particularly low food production where most households face food insecurity. The President declared a national disaster and many partners did respond including the UN which assisted us with millions of dollars," Molande said.
She said President Chakwera is scheduled to hold the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"In 2023 he also held one conference with all the partners that were available who committed to help on how Malawi can build economic and climate resilience following the shocks that we experienced with cyclones Freddy, Anna and Gombe and many disasters including drought " added Molande.
She said apart from the Malawi Partners Conference, the President will be joining all other heads of state in a high-level debate and meetings that the UN has planned for the 79th Assembly.
The ambassador described the 79th meeting as an important forum for the member states of the UN to discuss and reflect on lessons learnt and look into the world's future.
Before the UN General Assembly, Molande said the president would also be engaged in high-level discussion starting on September 24 with the member states.
She disclosed that the summit has five segments, namely; peace and security, sustainable development, governance, digital compact and future generation.
Mchinji One Stop Border Post to drive revenue growth, Trade Efficiency
By Sellah Chunda
Mchinji, August 18: Authorities have reported that Mchinji One Stop Border Post will significantly contribute to enhancement of the country’s revenue collection.
This was revealed during a media engagement tour in Mchinji on Wednesday.
Speaking during the tour, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Christina zakeyu, highlighted Malawi's progress in generating revenue compared to previous years.
“Since the implementation of the One Stop Border Post, we have seen considerable improvements in revenue collection. In the past, we collected around one billion kwacha a month through the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), but this has now increased to over three billion kwacha monthly,” said Zakeyu.
Zakeyu said coordination among border agencies has also helped towards the improvement unlike previously, when they operated independently.
Zakeyu added to say more facilities are yet to come, as this is part of the COMESA project funded with 3.5 million euros.
"We have introduced new systems, including the operational Smart Gate. The processing time for travelers crossing the border has drastically reduced from eight days to just one or two days, which is a significant improvement.
"We are witnessing increased business activity from cross-border traders, and we view this project as a game changer," said Zakeyu.
Station Manager for MRA at the Mchinji One Stop Border Post, Tapiwa Mzunga, emphasized the role of the newly installed equipment in enhancing operational efficiency.
She said the equipment will help monitor how long goods take to clear through the One Stop Border Post and facilitate faster trade and movement of people.
However, Zakeyu noted that Malawi is still exporting fewer goods compared to imports from Zambia.
The Mchinji One Stop Border Post was launched to streamline and enhance cross-border trade between Malawi and Zambia.
Minister pushes for cultural preservation amidst technological growth
By: Golden Kang'oma
Salima, September 18, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, has expressed concern over the dilution of Malawi's cultural identity due to technological advancements.
Speaking during a visit to Gwirize Cultural Village in Salima district on Wednesday, Kamtukule highlighted the importance of blending technology with cultural preservation as the country celebrates Tourism Month.
She said: "We are lamenting the loss of our authenticity as Malawians, technological progress is not the problem, but when culture is sacrificed at the altar of innovation, it becomes an issue."
Kamtukule emphasized the need to establish cultural villages in all 28 districts to preserve and promote Malawian heritage. She said the ministry aims to work closely with the Ministry of Local Government to integrate culture as a key tourism product.
"People visit Malawi to see our unique culture, so when we are doing our things, we should make sure that we do things as Malawians so that people from other countries can learn from us," she said.
Chairperson for Gwirize Cultural Village, Noah Chana, said they are in the pipeline of improving their facilities and plan to launch a website to attract international visitors.
"We aim at marketing the village globally and offer accommodation for tourists, this is to make sure that our culture is preserved and it's marketed globally," Chana said.
Chana added that the initiative is seen as a way of boosting local revenue and contribute to community development, with proceeds supporting needy students in surrounding schools.
Salima District Council Chairperson, Ephraim Manthepa said the cultural village is putting the district on the map and it has the potential to improve people's livelihoods.
Rising concern over HIV/AIDS stigma on social media
By Agatha Kadzinje
Blantyre, September 18, Mana: National Aids Commission (NAC) has emphasized the need for social media to be used primarily for raising awareness for HIV and AIDS rather than as a tool to bully people living with HIV and AIDS by disclosing their status.
Acting Public Relations Officer for NAC, Franscis Mabedi said in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana) in Blantyre on Wednesday, that the topic of HIV and AIDS is sensitive and an issue of public importance.
“The spread and management of information about HIV and AIDS should adhere to the 2011 HIV/AIDS Prevention and Management Act where section 11 prohibits anyone from disclosing another person’s HIV status,” Mabedi said.
He stressed that although the topic of HIV and AIDS is openly discussed on social media, laws and regulations should still be upheld.
Mabedi also pointed out that social media itself has no power of misinformation rather it is the way people misuse it. However, he said social media has proven to be effective in educating people about HIV and AIDS.
“We do not blame social media itself but rather we blame how people manage it because of lack of control,” he said.
He added that the unlawful disclosure of person’s HIV status on social media not only violates the laws of this country but also infringe one’s human rights.
Executive Director of the Malawi Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (MANET+), Lawrence Khonyongwa told Mana in a separate interview that there is lack of awareness regarding Malawi’s legal framework on HIV/AIDS, citing the unlawful disclosure of another person’s HIV status to the public including on social media.
“Most people are unaware that it is illegal to disclose someone’s confidential health status like this to anyone without their consent. Victims should report violations to the relevant authorities such as the police and organizations such as MANET+ to receive appropriate help,” he said.
Khonyongwa added that there is need for more civic education and awareness about HIV and AIDS Prevention and Management Act which also applies to online platforms.
He, therefore, disclosed that MANET+ runs an online campaign called Stigma Fighter, a global initiative aimed at ending the misconceptions and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.
In addition, MANET+ works closely with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender and Social Welfare and other partners to raise awareness in the country, according to Khonyongwa.
Khonyongwa has since encouraged people living with HIV to always take matters further when faced with stigma related issues on online platforms and not suffer in silence.
FEDOMA applauds government over performance of students with special needs
By Prisca Mashushu
Lilongwe, September 18, Mana: Federation of Disability Organizations in Malawi (FEDOMA) says is satisfied with the increased number of students with disabilities who have passed the 2024 Malawi School Certificate Examinations (MSCE).
FEDOMA Project Coordinator, Lyson Mapanga highlighted that increase of the number of students with disabilities passing exams is an indication of FEDOMA's efforts in ensuring that the rights of disabled children are observed.
“As an organization, we are pleased with the number of disability students’ performance who sat for the MSCE this year and they should be appreciated in a special way as they face various challenges in order to access quality education.
“We would like to thank the Ministry of Education for providing all necessary resources and support and other basic needs to students with disabilities to ensure they access their education," he explained.
However, Mapanga appealed to different stakeholders including the government, Malawi National Examinations Board (Maneb), Malawi Union of the Blind and others to continue supporting students with different special needs to be given special consideration while accessing their education for the betterment of their performance.
He pointed out that students with disabilities face tremendous challenges including discrimination, lack of access to technology resources used for education purposes and proper care during learning hours.
Concurring with Mapanga, Education expert Douglas Nyirenda said the success observed highlights government’s commitment in the provision and promotion of education which implies that Malawi is on course towards achieving Malawi agenda 2063 that aims at promoting inclusion of people of all statuses.
“In the just released MSCE results students with special needs scored 55.59 percent pass rate which is a commendable figure compared to previous years as well as the history of special needs education.
“This also signifies that government is working tirelessly to provide adequate teaching, learning and assessment resources to help learners who have special needs," he said.
Nyirenda said government and other stakeholders should follow different strategies to provide more support to learners with special needs including increasing number of specialist teachers in all government schools to respond positively to such students.
“Government should also offer continuous professional development courses to help students with special needs and provide more material resources in schools for example construction of friendly usable schools as one way of promoting education among special need students,” he explained.
About 734 special needs students sat for the examination and 411 have passed the examinations representing 55.99 percent.
DoDMA begins lean season food distribution in Blantyre
By Beatrice Bangula
Blantyre, September 18, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has commenced its lean season food distribution in Blantyre where thousands of residents gathered at Kamuzu Stadium to receive the much needed relief.
Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), DoDMA’s Director of Preparedness and Response, Reverend Moses Chimphepo, said the initiative follows a directive from President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera after his visit to the Lower Shire and other districts in the southern region.
“During the President’s visit, people raised concerns about food shortages and in response, he directed that DoDMA immediately begin distributing food,” Chimphepo said.
Laytton Nkata, Director of Administration for Blantyre City Council, described the hunger situation in Blantyre as ‘quite serious,’ noting that 50, 000 households will benefit from the food distribution.
“We’ve learned a lot from the Tropical Cyclone Freddy and with this cooperation between the council and DoDMA, we will be able to assist those affected,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, a 70-year-old woman from Machinjiri, Vera Chiwaula whose farmland was destroyed by floods, expressed her gratitude for the support.
“I’m so happy with what the government has done, I usually buy 10kgs of flour to feed my children and grandchildren, having my crop field swept away by floods, it has been difficult to survive as such this 50kgs of maize will help us a lot,” she said.
DoDMA is distributing 50-kilogramme bags of maize to individuals, an effort prompted by the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report, which indicated that around 5.7 million Malawians are expected to face food shortages this lean season.
51, 800 households in Balaka benefit from lean season relief food
By Mary Makhiringa
Balaka, September 18, Mana: At least 51, 800 households in Balaka district stand to benefit from the 2024 – 2025 lean season programme, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) has revealed.
Briefing the full council members on Wednesday, an official from DoDMA, Annie Mapulanga said following the El Nino impacts that the country faced, the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report indicated that 233, 101 people which represents 51, 800 families do not have enough food to sustain themselves for a year in Balaka.
“We are responsible to respond to the food situation in the country. In Balaka, it will be a 50 kilogrammes of maize, which will be given for five months to households.
“We have secured resources for two months only for Balaka, which the World Food Programme (WFP) has sub granted Find Your Feet to help in the distribution of the relief food,” she said.
Mapaulanga added: “We could not wait to finish up the processes to all the five months considering that people are struggling with no food to eat, which is why we opted to start distributing even though we do not have the cover for all the five months.”
According to Mapulanga, all beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer will automatically be included in the programme because of their vulnerability.
Mapulanga pointed out that the maize was specifically to benefit a household and the community leaders are discouraged from asking beneficiaries to share the maize with anyone.
Member of Parliament for Balaka North, Tony Ngalande hailed government through the WFP for the timely assistance, saying Balaka is one dry area which makes it prone to disasters almost annually.
“Let me urge the implementing partner to consider distributing the relief maize at Group Village Head level than T/A because doing so will be simple as it will avoid missing out deserving people,” he said.
However, Ngalande bemoaned the tendency of sideling political leaders in the programme, saying they are equally instrumental in lobbying for such interventions in parliament.
Countrywide at least 5, 692, 112 people in 28 districts of Malawi are food insecure and require food assistance ranging from three months and the hardest hit requiring six months food assistance.
13, 869 households to benefit in lean season response
By Salome Gangire
Neno, September 18, Mana: Neno District Council through the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) on Wednesday rolled out the implementation of the 2024/25 lean season food insecurity response programme targeting 13, 868 food insecure households in the district.
Speaking during the launch at Lisungwi Community Day Secondary Ground in the area of Traditional Authority Symon in Neno, DoDMA Director Responsible for Disaster Recovery and Resilience, Peter Chimangeni said the response food programme is government’s commitment in making sure that people have food.
Chimangeni said the response follows the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report which projected that 5.7 million people will be food insecure in the country.
He said Neno has been chosen to be amongst the first districts to launch the food response programme because according to MVAC report, the food situation is dire as it has a food deficit of six months alongside Mwanza and Blantyre districts.
“Government is committed to alleviate the challenges being faced by the communities; hence, the donation to cushion them during this season and in Neno, 62, 000 people which is 13, 896 households will benefit,” Chimangeni said.
He said the food insecurity problem in the country is being aggravated by issues of climate change as the country has since 2015 been facing issues of disasters and the department is finding ways to make sure that the country becomes resilient by encouraging farmers to adopt irrigation farming and climate smart agriculture.
Chimangeni, therefore, disclosed that the period for receiving the relief food varies due to the severity as some districts will receive relief food for a period of six months, others four and others for three months.
District Commissioner for Neno, Rosemary Nawasha advised beneficiaries of the lean season food insecurity response programme not to sell the maize they have received but to use it for consumption.
Nawasha said Neno district is one of the worst affected districts in the last growing season due to the dry spell induced by El-Nino.
“Government through DoDMA has provided this relief maize in lean season food insecurity response programme as such use if for the intended purpose,” she said.
Nawasha, therefore, reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring that no one dies of hunger that is why they have started distributing the October supplies early.
Speaking earlier, Traditional Authority Symon thanked government for the food assistance, saying it will alleviate the suffering among his subjects, noting that his area has been affected by hunger as most people did not harvest enough food.
One of the beneficiaries from Chaponda village in the same area, Saidi Msanama thanked government for the timely response, saying it will bail out his household of nine members from hunger.
He said the maize will help him feed his family as he prepares for the 2024-25 farming season.
President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on May 23, declared 23 districts out of 28 in the country as state of disaster which were affected by El-Nino.
The districts are Nsanje, Chikwawa, Mulanje, Phalombe, Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Zomba, Mangochi, Balaka, Machinga, Phalombe, Mwanza, Neno, Lilongwe, Dedza, Dowa, Mchinji, Ntchisi, Ntcheu, Nkhotakota, Kasungu and Karonga.
WHFC equips women with business skills, management knowledge
By Brighton Thengoliweta Chimsinde
Mchinji, September 18, Mana: Women’s Hope for Change (WHFC) a local non-governmental organization in Mchinji says business skills and management are essential in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) that always deters women and teen-mothers to be prosperous in their lives.
WHFC Programs Officer Faith Chiwenda made the remarks on Tuesday after opening a two-day long business skills and management workshop organized by WHFC held at NICE Conference Hall at Mchinji Boma.
Chiwenda said the workshop was among activities under their project called Ending Violence Against Women and Children (EVAWC) which is implemented with funding from Segal Family Foundation in America.
“Advocacy alone can’t end GBV, and that’s why we are empowering women with business skills and management. It has proven that women who have been abused are solely dependent on men.
“To curtail the dependency syndrome the project has funds to be shared to the women for them to sustain their small scale businesses,” Chiwenda said.
The Programs Officer said the project objective is to ensure that women are financially independent, self-reliant and prosperous in their lives.
She said initially, the project has earmarked 60 women from Mchinji Boma who are going to benefit from the training and business capital support.
“We have also engaged the district community development office to orient them on Village Savings and Loans (VSL) concept, importance of saving culture and investing their money in various investments. Among the 60 women, there are GBV survivors, teen-mothers, single mothers, change agents who were already plying their own small-scale businesses,” the programs officer said.
Speaking on the behalf of the participants, Emily Phiri of Robert 2 village, Traditional Authority Zulu in the district said by the end of the training they will be able sustain their businesses and VSLs.
Phiri then commended WHFC for organizing the training that has empowered them with knowledge and skills which would help them to support their families and pay school fees for their children.
Women’s Hope for Change (WHFC) is a non-governmental organization formed in 2008 and was formed by a group of women who had passion to fight for women and children’s rights with a special emphasis on a girl child.
