Japan has called for increased investment in irrigation and climate-resilient agriculture to help Malawi tackle recurring food insecurity largely caused by climate-induced shocks such as floods and drought.
Japanese Ambassador Naito Yasushi said this on Monday during a visit to communities benefiting from a Japanese-funded resilience project in Chikwawa District.
| Jacob Nankhonya
He said he was impressed with the progress made by farmers who have adopted irrigation and collective farming practices under the intervention.
Said Yasushi: “I am very happy to witness that the crops are thriving. With their own efforts and by working together as communities while utilising irrigation, they are able to increase production. This is very important.”
The project was introduced in response to the effects of the 2023/24 El Niño-induced drought, which left thousands of households facing food shortages.
Yasushi warned that Malawi must prepare for future climate shocks by strengthening community resilience.
“We know that El Niño is coming again, so we must help in enhancing the resilience of communities,” he added.
He encouraged beneficiary farmers to maximise the benefits of improved harvests by saving seed for future planting seasons, investing extra income wisely and consuming nutritious crops such as beans and maize to improve household nutrition, particularly for children.
The project, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) with funding from the Government of Japan, aims to support 3 000 farming households in Chikwawa through the provision of agricultural inputs, training and irrigation-related support.
FAO representative Ali Said Yusuf also said addressing Malawi’s continued dependence on rain-fed agriculture, expanding irrigation and adopting climate-smart farming practices are essential for improving food security.
Chikwawa chief agriculture officer Francis Masitala, while agreeing with the need for investment in irrigation, said the country has about 115 irrigation schemes although most of them are not fully operational.
