Communities turn to salt mining
Some community members in Nchalo, Chikwawa District have turned to salt mining at Chavikale and Nkhwazi in Senior Chief Ngabu in the district to transform their lives.
In an interview yesterday, Nchalo Salt Mining Cooperative disciplinary committee chairperson Stephano Banuwelo said in 2020 Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (Cepa) engaged them to venture into serious business.
He said they found a market at Dakondi in Machinga District to supply industrial salt, but they are yet to start because Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) is yet to certify their product.
But in a separate interview, MBS spokesperson Monica Khombe said the company is not yet registered under MBS Certification Scheme.
“If the cooperative is manufacturing edible salt, it needs to register with us. For non-food grade salt, it just needs to comply with labelling standards,” she said.
Cepa programmes manager Gloria Majiga said they helped to register the cooperative with the Ministry of Mining.
“This helps the members to undergo training on how to mine salt. We encouraged the cooperative to start mining because this is industrial salt,” she said.
Ministry of Mining spokesperson Andrew Mkonda wondered why the cooperative has not started operating after they were given two licences.
“We received complaints from the cooperative and we promised to engage Cepa and MBS to find out if they have issues with the cooperative,” he said.
Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences associate professor of economics Betchani Tchereni asked government to support the cooperative to start operating.
“Previously, government through One Village One Product showed interest, but nothing is happening in the area,” he said.
Cepa is implementing a project dubbed Sustainable Artisanal Mining Applied for Livelihood Advancement for Women and Youth with funding from IM Swedish Development Partners in Chikwawa, Balaka and Neno districts.
