National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has encouraged farmers from Ntolongo Irrigation Scheme in Senior Chief Tengani in Nsanje to embrace mindset change as espoused by Malawi 2063 (MW2063) to improve their farming.
Nice Nsanje district civic education officer Kondwani Malunga said this on Tuesday when Ntolongo Irrigation Scheme toured Nkulowamitete and Chimwala-Mbangu irrigation schemes in traditional authorities Ndamera and Malemia, respectively.
He said Nice facilitated the exchange visit to enable farmers from Ntolongo Irrigation Scheme learn how their counterparts in the two schemes are succeeding in their farming activities.
Malunga said: “MW2063 has mindset change component which will enable the country to achieve the three pillars of agriculture commercialisation, industrialisation and urbaniation.
“Our major focus is on agriculture commercialisation, knowing that every year people of Nsanje face either drought or floods which affect crop production. If they embrace irrigation farming, hunger will be over.”
Senior Chief Tengani said he observed that leaders from Nkulowamitete and Chimwala-Mbangu schemes guide their farmers on what to do unlike at Ntolongo.
Ntolongo Irrigation Scheme chairperson Christopher Thomu said the learning visit was fruitful.
“Our friends at Nkulowamitete will grow maize, beans and vegetables thrice this year alone,” he said.
Ntolongo Irrigation Scheme was developed in 2014 and rehabilitated in 2021 with funding from the African Development Fund under the Post Cyclone Idai Resilience and Emergency Recovery Project.
MW2063 is the country’s long-term development strategy that seeks to create a middle-income economy.
