Blessings Tambala

MwaPATA Institute – a local agricultural policy think tank – has called for greater investments in interventions initiated and designed to improve soil health in Malawi.

The institute’s Board Chairperson Professor Richard Mkandawire warned that the country risks turning into desert if the government and its partners do not address the soil health crisis.

Mkandawire made the remarks in Lilongwe on Thursday during a breakfast the organization prepared for editors and senior journalists.

The MwAPATA Institute Board Chairperson said it is high time Malawi moved towards reforms  and policies that would help in addressing depletion of soil nutrients.

“And one of the foremost areas that need to be addressed is the continued depletion in Malawi’s soils. And we need investments in that particular area. And one of the recommendations emerging is that some of the resources probably, which are directed towards fertilizer, should also be directed towards improving our soils,” said Mkandawire.

He indicated that Malawi has some of the most depleted soils in the Africa Region, stressing that it is critical to find ways of investing in the soils.

“There are times when one wonders whether this country will be turned into a desert, and I think we need double efforts. We need you know, every effort possible to ensure that, you know, we actually move towards our programs that are, you know, cool, conserve our forests, conserve our, you know, various ecosystem instead of losing millions of tons of our soils into Lake Malawi, and eventually to the Indian Ocean,” he said.

“I think we need to return them. You can’t imagine how much of the dollar value we’re actually exporting through loss of nutrients. And one of the issues that whichever agent might have to do is to really quantify how much of all the nutrients that are lost can be translated into the loss of dollars, because that nutrient needs to be replaced. And it cannot be replaced by you know, fertilizer alone. It’s got to be replaced by other, you know, mechanisms including the moving towards investing in our soils,” he emphasized.

Managing Director for Paramount Holdings Limited (PHL), Prakash Ghedia, has assured the Ministry of Education that his company will complete the construction of the girls’ hostels at Inkosi ya Makosi M’mbelwa University in Mzimba within the specified timeframe.

The ministry awarded PHL an 18-month contract to construct a girls’ hostel. Construction work started on January 2, 2024, and is expected to finish by June 2025.

The Minister of Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, visited the construction site on Monday this week to appreciate the progress of the project.

Briefing the minister, Ghedia disclosed that his company has already mobilized the required resources, including construction materials and manpower, to complete the project within the project’s timeframe.

He, however, emphasized the need for teamwork in the execution of the project, stressing that every stakeholders needs to play his or her part to ensure its successful completion.

“We are committed to finish this project in 18 months if we work as a team. The consultant needs to give a drawing on time, certificate processing should be in the short time, and the client is giving the funding on the time, then the contractor will be able to finish the project in the agreed timeframe,” he said.

“We were given an MK8.7 billion contract to construct hostels that will be housed in a five-storey building. Currently, we are doing bush clearing of the site, importing construction materials and purchasing local materials,” said Ghedia, “With funding availability in time, we are the public to complete the construction work of the hostel in June next year as per plans.”

Meanwhile, communities surrounding the construction site for Inkosi Ya Makhosi M’mbelwa M’mbelwa have expressed excitement with the resumption of construction work.

One of the community members, Benjamin Chirwa said the resumption of the works is a relief to them, as it has potential to boost people’s businesses and their livelihood through the jobs that will be created as works continue.

“The resumption of the work for the institution is crucial because many young people will be employed and we expect a business boom in our area upon the university completion. This has been long overdue,” he said.

In her remarks, Kambauwa said she was impressed with the progress the contracts are making on the site.

She applauded President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government for meeting Malawians expectations in promoting Higher learning education.

“I’m impressed with the start of the project that it will bring a number of opportunities to young people for quality education while also employing many people around the facility. We expect to enrol first intake in August 2025 for school of basic sciences, later with animal sciences general programs,” said the minister.

The Government of Malawi has set aside MK450 billion for the university, which will be offering animal sciences studies and programmes.