Nsanje’s ex-Makhanga inhabitants appeal for an irrigation scheme

People who relocated from flood flood-prone areas of Makhanga to Milton Village, Traditional Authority Mbenje in Nsanje have appealed to government to construct an irrigation scheme so that they can be food secure.

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Group Village head (GVH) Kalonga appealed on Thursday on behalf of her subjects when a high-level delegation from the British High Commission in Malawi, USAID and Department of Disaster Management Affairs, (DoDMA) officials visited the relocated community.

GVH Kalonga said that despite their settling at the upper land, her subjects have been hit hard by hunger following last year’s dry spell.

“We have farmland at Makhanga but it is in water due to rising levels of water in Shire River,” she added.

She said once the scheme is constructed, families will be able to grow crops more than once a year, adding this will contribute to food security at the household level.

GVH Kalonga assured the delegation that the community will never go back to Makhanga after going through devastating floods every year.

She therefore praised a non-governmental organization called Give Direct for supporting the community with startup money which the community used to build houses at the new settlement area.

On this note, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Malawi, Olympia Wereko-Brobby, commended the community for using the donation wisely.

“I am impressed the way the community build its resilient following the effects of Cyclone Freddy,” she added.

Commissioner for Disaster, Charles Kalemba said the government was putting in place sustainable systems to ensure food security in the country.

“Such systems include irrigation schemes just like what we have seen at Chimwala mbango scheme which is gravity fed,” he added.

Kalemba assured the community that the government will continue supporting them with systems that will enhance food security in Nsanje