President of the Water Users Association, Asante Ndomondo, says the Mlooka solar-powered irrigation scheme in Zomba is a blessing to the people in Sub-Traditional Authority Nkapita’s area.
Ndomondo said this when State President Dr Lazarus Chakwera visited the scheme this morning.
“The irrigation scheme is a big relief as we will be able to harvest three times a year,” he said.
Sub T/A Nkapita said through the scheme, the area will be able to produce more than enough to even feed the country.
Director of Agriculture and Natural resources for Zomba District, Linda Mphande, said with the increasing effects of climate change irrigation farming is key to improving the country’s food baskets.
Mphande said the district is planning to construct more irrigation scheme to avert hunger challenges.
Mlooka irrigation was initiated in 2017 and construction works commenced in 2022 and it has 720 farming households which were completed in December 2023.
The International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) funded the scheme which was constructed under the Programme for Rural Irrigation Development Project (Pride).
By Solister Mogha, MANA