Mutharika launches K175bn Shire Valley Transformation: ‘Rural areas to be centres of development in Malawi’’
President Peter Mutharika has launched a K175 bn Shire Valley Transformation Programme (SVTP) whose aim is to promote irrigation farming and increase farmers’ ability to move from subsistence to commercial farming.
According to President Mutharika, the programme demonstrates that Malawi is steadily moving away from dependence on rain-fed agriculture to irrigated agriculture.
In the first phase, the Shire Valley Transformation Programme will develop over 43,000 hectares of land, investing up to K175 billion.
Speaking when he officially commissioned the project in Chikwawa on Wednesday, Mutharika said funds for the project have already been sourced and that by the end of Phase 2 and Phase 3, the project will have put more than 100,000 hectares on irrigation.
Said Mutharika: “I have said before that we will bring agriculture revolution in Malawi through the Green Belt Initiative. The Shire Valley Transformation Irrigation Project shows the doubters that our Green Belt dream is working. With this programme, we are steadily moving from our dependence on rain-fed to irrigation agriculture.’
He added that once the irrigation programme in Chikwawa and Nsanje is completed, it will be the biggest agriculture irrigation scheme in Southern Africa.
“Under this programme, our farmers in the two districts will move from subsistence farming to commercial farming.
“The Shire Valley Transformation Programme will use gravity to supply water to the fields. This means that we will no longer worry about power to pump water to our farms. This will lead to low cost of production for our farmers to realize bigger profits,” he added.
The Malawi leader disclosed that this is one of government’s agriculture commercialisation programmes, whose aims are to develop the agriculture sector, promote farming at household level and improve the quality of life for all Malawians.
“We are implementing the Agriculture Commercialization Project, which comprise investing K71 billion into empowering Malawians to move from subsistence to commercial farming, the 111 million euros Kutukula Ulimi mMalawi programme in 10 districts across the country and the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach. In this programme, we are investing (US$72.3 million) to empower Malawians to diversify from tobacco and maize and resuscitate the banana industry,” he disclosed.
Government is also implementing the Programme for Rural Irrigation Development in which it is investing US$84.0 million dollarsnga, Zomba, Chiradzulu and Phalombe.
“We want development to start from rural communities to towns and cities. We want to take development to the people, instead of taking the people to development. I want rural areas to be centres of development in Malawi,” said Mutharika.
The programme is being supported by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), Nigerian Trust Fund and the Global Environmental Facility.
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Ulemu wanu munthu wamkulu!
Nthawi yoseyi munali kuti agogo? This will be another White Elephant just like Zambezi Shire Water way project. We are tired of false promises. Just campaign with the things you have managed to complete than cheating Malawians.
Zimenezi Kamuzu anapanga kale koma munathetsa ndi dyera lanulo! There is nothing new here. You just want to hoodwink Malawians into voting for you while you know you will not do it just like Mombela Univesity and Nsanje Port. You are just wasting our money as you already have several unfullfilled promises!!
How about the Nsanje Inland port? Is that a total rip off? How are citizens benefitting from the crumbling port? What a shame that Malawi gets aid but she squanders it on unplanned inland ports or projects that benefit a special few. The port is still costing Malawians since it is idle, but also from the initial cost. Its infrastructure and supporting structures deteriorate by day. Whose idea was it to spend so much money on something that would not benefit the majority of citizens except a select few? The National Audit Office and ACB are conveniently silent on the… Read more »
Pamene ena akupanga chitukuko adani akufuna chipasupasu. Go apm go, focus on these mega projects like 250 secondary schools, technical colleges, shire Valley irrigation project etc. If I change my mind and decide to vote again, I definitely will vote for you apm
Who is fooling who. You just want to to deceive people by putting Chipilala as you did for Mombera University in MZIMBA.
Only DPP cadets will benefit from this.
Pointless projects with the aim of syphoning money.
Good project!
Good proposal
But no action just talk show
Bye bye agogo. Taaoneni a chimulirenji ngati agwade, kikikikiiiiiiii
Nsundwe Boys – kunena kwa ndithe-ndithe nanthabwe anadzitengera. Chisankho ndi mpikisano. You don’t yet know the dynamics that will come into play.