National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef) chief executive officer Humphrey Mdyetseni says the fund projects to contribute 500 000 metric tonnes (MT) of maize to the national food basket through winter cropping inputs loans.
He said this in Lilongwe yesterday when Neef toured three irrigation schemes it supported with inputs.
Mdyetseni said Neef is targeting to support 200 000 farmers expected to cultivate at least 200 000 acres under irrigation.
He said based on the irrigation production estimates, the investment will see farmers producing about 500 000MT of maize which will cover much of the maize yield shortage estimated to be about 1.2 million as per World Food Programme data.
Said Mdyetseni: “So, technically if we are to look at the food gap, it’s going to be comprehensively addressed using this particular programme.”
To date, Neef has already supported 80 000 farmers with inputs and disbursed K35 billion out of the K100 billion allocated for winter cropping, he said.
Kakhwesi Irrigation Scheme chairperson Lyford Mondolosi, whose scheme was one of the three toured, said their aim is to cultivate twice through irrigation farming, adding that farmers will increase the hectarage in the next cycle as they now appreciate the benefit of the loans.
Senior Chief Khongoni encouraged the farmers to cultivate more than twice under irrigation farming, saying farmers hold the key to resolving the hunger situation in the country.
However, in an interview Grain Traders Association of Malawi president Grace Mijiga Mhango cast doubt on the ability of Neef attaining the 500 000MT yield, saying more needs to be done to achieve that.
Last year, 5.7 million people were food insecure and needed support during the lean season which starts from October to March. The total food requirement for the food-insecure people was estimated to be 261 574 MT.
