By Mercy Makuwira, MANA
Minister of Irrigation and Water Development, Charles Mchacha has called upon government officials in his Ministry to work hard saying time had come to implement what was designed into practice.
The Minister said this on Monday at the end of a tour he conducted in Blantyre and Thyolo to appreciate irrigations schemes in the two districts.
“As you know Malawians, we are so good at formulating good position papers. What is on paper is different with what is found on the ground.
As a new Minister, I will work hard to ensure that what I have seen on paper is exactly what we will be seeing on the ground,” Mchacha challenged.
The Minister said if that was achieved then the country would be food secure and issues of food shortage would not be there.
He assured farmers in the country of continued government support to the farmers through identification of markets, irrigation farming and inputs so that they are able to produce more than once a year.
The Minister and his entourage that included his Deputy Minister Ester Majaza visited Matiti Irrigation scheme in Blantyre which is 27 hectares and Lowa Magulula irrigation scheme which is 12 hectares in Thyolo.
At Lowa Magulula, it was noted that some community members had stolen solar panels that were being used to pump water for the scheme.
Mchacha called upon the farmers to own the irrigation scheme as they are the main beneficiaries of the project.
“What people must know is that when they receive things like solar panels and fertilizers, they are supposed to take the responsibility of looking after these things.
“Once a project is handed over to them there is no way anyone in government can come back claim it back, so it’s really sad to see people stealing things that were meant for their own good, if found the long arm of justice will take its course,” he said.
A farmer at Lowa Magulula, Berita Bestala expressed gratitude to government for continued support especially at the irrigation scheme.
“As an elderly woman, I used to find it difficult to irrigate my piece of land however with the coming in of the solar powered irrigation scheme farming become easy as I just open water in the canal to feed into my parcel of land,” she said.
