Chitipa District Council has appealed to farmers under Mafinga and Marko irrigation schemes in traditional authorities (T/As) Mwenewenya and Mwabulambya to utilise the facilities to improve food security in the district.
The council’s director of planning and development Smith Mnenula said this on Wednesday after touring the two irrigation schemes to appreciate what farmers are doing.
Mnenula observed that the two schemes have enough land but was under-utilised.
He said: “Mafinga Irrigation Scheme has 131 hectares (ha) and farmers are only growing crops on 49.5ha. On the other hand, Marko has 98ha but only 38.8ha are being utilised.
“To achieve the 10-year Malawi Implementation Plan under Malawi 2063, we need to start utilising these capital investments so that we are food-secure and have income at household level.”
Mnenula challenged frontline workers in the two areas to mobilise farmers and sensitise them on the importance of irrigation farming.
Mafinga Water Users Association secretary Alice Mbale assured the council that they will mobilise more farmers to work at the scheme.
Marko Irrigation Scheme secretary Abdala Milanzi said he was hopeful that more farmers will start irrigation farming.
“Most farmers were hesitant to do irrigation farming because it was the first time but after seeing the benefits from the scheme, more farmers have registered,” he said.
Mafinga and Marko irrigation schemes were constructed by Programme for Rural Irrigation Development project with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme and the Malawi Government.
