Ministry of agriculture irrigation, Development says the media should play a crucial role to popularize and promote climate-smart agriculture in the country.
The ministry is implementing two projects, Malawi Resilience and Disaster Risk Management Project and Malawi Watershed Improved Programme to enhance food security at both household and national level.
Speaking in Blantyre on the sidelines of a media orientation on the projects, technical team member responsible for planning, monitoring and evaluation James Kumwenda said through the media, beneficiaries can better understand project concepts thereby contributing to successful implementation.
He said: “The media will help us disseminate information on the projects and inform beneficiaries on what they should expect from projects thereby enhancing accountability.”
The two projects have a number of components including landscape restoration, watershed services improvement, climate-smart irrigation and enhancing drought and disaster risk management.
Planning monitoring and evaluation specialist for both projects Robert Msuku said through the Malawi Resilience and Disaster Risk Resilience and Disaster Risk Management Project they have constructed 13 gravity-fed irrigation schemes covering 1229 hectares that are benefiting 5051 households.
He further said they have also procured and distributed 2250 treadle pumps benefiting 16620 households, while installation of 14 small-scale solar-powered drip irrigation schemes is in progress.
Said Msuku: “The project development objective is to support the recovery of livelihoods and infrastructure in affected areas and strengthen capacity for blood and drought risk management.”
He said the Malawi Watershed Improved Programme Project will directly befit approximately 350 000 people, a majority of whom are smallholder farmers.
Source: Nation_Precious Kumbani_Staff Reporter