Malawi farmers need irrigation equipment
Nsanje District farmers can only cultivate half of their land due to a lack of water pumps.
Farmers in Traditional Authority Malemia, Nsanje District, are appealing for irrigation equipment to increase their crop yields. The scheme's chairperson, Mzinga Mulaphandevu, stated on Tuesday that insufficient materials prevent them from using 30 hectares of land, with only 15 hectares currently cultivated. Farmers expressed a desire for more solar-powered water pumps to support irrigation efforts.
Mulaphandevu highlighted that irrigation offers a reliable harvest compared to unpredictable rainfall. Gloria Genti, a farmer from Chipwembwe Village, reported harvesting 12 to 16 bags of maize, 10 bags of rice, and five bags of beans from her plot. However, Mercy Goliati from Lazao Village noted that the current mobile solar-powered pump system requires significant manual labour.
Collins Walasi, an agriculture development officer for Zunde Extension Planning Area, confirmed that farmers are eager to cultivate the entire scheme but lack the necessary equipment. He mentioned that farmers previously used watering cans before Concern Worldwide recently provided a mobile solar-powered pump system.
Why it mattersFarmers in Nsanje District are unable to fully utilize their land for cultivation due to a shortage of irrigation equipment.