GOVER. SETS ASIDE K6.8b

Govt. sets aside k6.8billion

Government says it has set aside K6.8 Billion to be disbursed to farmers who will be mandated to produce maize through irrigation to help contain the huge grain deficit this year. Minister responsible for Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, George Chaponda told MBC that 4,500 hectares of irrigatable land under the private sector will be deployed for this purpose. “Smallholder farmers will benefit from this,” said Chaponda adding that government has come up with long term and short term measures to offset the hunger situation in the country. The Minister further explained that the smallholder farmers will also be targeted by empowering them through giving them the necessary farming resources. He cited that around 285,000 smallholder farmers will benefit from this as some of the produce will be for home consumption for themselves. Chaponda states, the initiative will help government realize an additional 25,000 tonnes of maize and the Minister appeals to Malawians to avoid food wastage. Recently, President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika declared Malawi as a state of disaster and called upon assistance from the international community. Government however is doing everything possible to deal with the situation.