Irrigation grows by 1.28% in 2 years—report
The National Planning Commission (NPC) says efforts to develop commercial agriculture through irrigation have culminated in a marginal increase of 1.28 percent between 2022 and 2023 despite the pomp associated with the megafarms initiative.
The Malawi 2063 First 10-Year Implementation Plan (MIP- 1) Progress Report by NPC shows that there has been an additional 1 884 hectares over the period, increasing national irrigation production hectarage to 148 850.
Reads the report in part: “Despite these efforts, we are still far behind in meeting the irrigation potential as only 36 percent of potentially irrigable land is being utilised.”
However, there has been some considerable increase in mechanisation efforts, with improved tractor density from 0.2 tractors per 100 square kilometre to 0.4 tractors per square kilometre in 2023.
Mwapata Institute executive director William Chadza said in an interview on Monday that there is need to take a systems approach when addressing the challenges facing the agricultural sector.
“Strategies should include a bundle of investments that complement each other such as irrigation, access to improved seed and produce markets,” he said.
Overall, the country’s economy has been growing by less than two percent for the past four years due to effects of climate change that have also dampened agricultural output.
