By Mphatso Nkuonera
Lilongwe, September, 27, Mana: The United Nations Heads of Summit have named Malawi Champion for ‘Clean Energy’ amongst eight other countries across the globe, State House has revealed.
Executive Assistant to the President and Director of Communications, Sean Kampondeni, made the announcement on Monday at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe during the fortnightly State House media briefings.
He said the initiative falls under the Sustainable Development Goals number 7.
In this initiative, Malawi has been in campaign of distributing and selling at low prices, firewood- saving stoves (mbaula) which have reduced pressure on trees.
Several women in the country have adopted the technology, which has lifted the burden of walking long distances to fetch firewood and exerting pressure on trees, hence the country’s recognition by UNGA Heads of Summit.
“This is a great achievement that we must all celebrate as this is the second recognition. Malawi has also been recognised for consolidating democracy in the past two years by the Africa American Institute,” said Kampondeni.
He further announced that President Lazarus Chakwera will on Tuesday address the United Nations General Assembly on nuclear-free world.
Kampondeni further said the president has been virtually attending various UNGA high level meetings and activities currently under way in New York, USA.
Speaking on Affordable Inputs Program (AIP), Acting Presidential Press Secretary, Anthony Kasunda, said the president will still side with farmers in Malawi to see to it that the 2021/2022 AIP is successful.
“Farmers should not get worried as the president takes food security issues seriously and that he understands that when citizens are food-secure, prices of essential items do not skyrocket.
“The Minister of Agriculture is on top of things to ensure all is in order until AIP lives to its maximum fruition,” he said.
Under AIP in 2020/2021 farming season which saw Malawi realising bumper yield, a bag of fertilizer was at K4 495, while in the 2021/2022 farming season, a 50kg bag of fertilizer will be at K7, 500.
