Farmers appeal for solar panels for irrigation scheme
Farmers from Kadyamba Irrigation Scheme in Traditional Authority Mbenje in Nsanje District have asked well-wishers to help them with solar panels.
Speaking on Monday when DanChurchAid officials from Denmark visited the farmers, the scheme’s chairperson Nyson Anthony thanked the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) for supporting them with two solar pumps powered by 12 solar panels.
“There are 150 lead farmers, but others want to join us; hence, asking for more solar panels to cater for the new members,” he said.
The scheme’s secretary Elias Walani said they have opened an account with FDH Bank plc where they save money for light maintenance works at the scheme.
“Besides solar panels, we need infrastructure such as secondary and tertiary canals,” he said.
DanChurchAid team lead campaign and parish collectors Thilde Skaanning, whose organisation is supporting EAM, said they were satisfied with what they saw on the ground.
She said: “We will report to our friends in Denmark and map the way forward on how best we can fund various initiatives in Nsanje and Malawi.
“We thank EAM for doing a commendable work here as they trained people in agroforestry and livelihood interventions. The parish collectors here, who source funds in various churches in Denmark and channel it to DanChurchAid are also pleased.”
Nsanje District Council irrigation engineer Jacob Moyo said they are sourcing money to help the farmers buy more solar pumps.
