Farmers tout enhanced public works programme

Farmers in Linthipe Catchment Area in Traditional Authority Chitekwere in Lilongwe say they expect to harvest bumper yields courtesy of the Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) being implemented in the district.

Speaking yesterday in Mzingo Village when the National Local Government Finance Committee team visited the area, a farmer,  Efilina Mpakisa, 36, said she grew her maize using climate smart agriculture technologies learned from the EPWP.

She said: “The programme’s beneficiaries working on the road along my garden asked me to embrace the new farming technologies.

“I followed the advice and I am expected to harvest 50 bags.”

Mpakisa said she would sell some of the maize to raise money for her son’s school fees.

Lilongwe district EPWP liaison officer Thandie Sukali said it was encouraging to see the programme’s positive response.

She said that climate smart agriculture seeks to achieve food security in areas prone to climate change effects. 

“Linthipe Catchment Area experiences soil erosion, leading to soil infertility. We encourage people to adopt the new technologies to improve their crop production,”  said Sukali.

Group village head Mzingo said Linthipe was one of the areas where people used to face hunger.