Former Minister of Agriculture Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza has dumped the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). He has since joined the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP). Chiyembekeza made the announcement at a press conference held at MCP headquarters in Lilongwe Tuesday. He said his decision to join MCP is in line with the wishes of people in […]
Two Members of Parliament (MP) from Thyolo have asked the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) to consider changing the names of their constituencies. Dr Allan Chiyembekeza who represents Thyolo South West requested that the name of his constituency becomes Thyolo -Masambanjati whilst McJay Salijeni of Thyolo South wants his constituency to be known as Thyolo-Thekerani. The […]
President Peter Mutharika has fired Allan Chiyembekeza whilst he is away on government assignment. Chiyembekeza, former minister of Agriculture is currently outside the country, in Ivory Coast for a government sponsored trip. Officials from the ministry of Agriculture said the former minister left the country last week. Mutharika announced a new cabinet on Thursday, making […]
Minister of Agriculture Allan Chiyembekeza has been called to abandon his “stubborn refusal” to take advice from Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture. Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Felix Jumbe, said Chiyembekeza is displaying a “stubborn” altitude not to take advise form his committee. “If only the Ministry of Agriculture had adopted the recommendations that our committee […]
The first round of 2015/16 Agriculture Production Estimates Survey has projected the national maize production at 2,719,425 metric tons, 2.0 percent lower than the 2014/15 final round estimate of 2,776,277 metric tons. In a statement, Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development said although the estimates may not conclusively inform the ultimate agricultural production, it […]
Am I the only person having difficulty believing Minister of Agriculture Allan Chiyembekeza that the country has enough maize to last up to April but the 20kg ration in Admarc depots will remain in force? A simple question, sir: why ration when there is enough of the commodity in the country? For starters, the good […]
The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Food Security Dr Allan Chiyembekeza has said intensive irrigation agriculture remains the only realistic hope to curb food shortage in the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) in light of erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change. Chiyembekeza was speaking in an interview in Lilongwe on Tuesday on the sidelines […]
Tobacco, fondly christened Malawi’s green gold, will remain the country’s cash crop as Minister of Agriculture and Water development has declared that switching from tobacco to other crops is unrealistic as it would require huge investments and faults the World Health Organisation’s anti-smoking lobby that threatens the leaf’s growing. Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan […]
There were jubilations and ululations on Sunday at Molele ground in Thyolo district when Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan Chiyembekeza launched a K5 million football and netball League in his Thyolo South West Constituency. Present during the launching ceremony were former Flames defenders Jack Chamangwana and James Sangala, former Malawi Queens star […]
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Allan Chiyembekeza has called people in the country to reduce food wastes and take lesser meals during the lean period. Chiyembekeza made the call in Thyolo on Tuesday when he visited farmers from Katundu and M’mambo villages in Matapwata and Thyolo Central Extension planning Areas (EPAs) to assess […]
Agriculture minister Allan Chiyembekeza has pat on the back prisoners for a working irrigation scheme at Domasi in Zomba that is enabling the prison department to provide 60 percent of food to inmates across the country. Commissoner for farms and industry in prisons Clement Kainja said with huge budget cuts, government grants are not enough […]
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Dr Allan Chiyembekeza on Tuesday admitted that Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) is progressing well despite facing huge challenges. This claim by Chyembekeza comes hot amid complaints from various stakeholders that the programme has started late. Addressing journalists on present status of implementation of 2015/16 Farm Input Subsidy […]
Government said it followed all procedures in the distribution and sale of 177 tractors and 144 maize shellers which government acquired for the mechanisation of smallholder farming in the country. Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza said in parliament on Thursday there was nothing dubious in the way his ministry distributed and sold […]
Minister responsible for water Allan Chiyembekeza says there is now constant supply of water in Blantyre due to maintenance and upgrading of Walkers’ Ferry, Blantyre Water Board water pumping point on Shire River. Chiyembekeza, who is also minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, said the Walkers’s Ferry is now able to pump 98000 cubic metres of […]
Minister of Agriculture Allan Chiyembekeza has partly blamed the delays in the distribution of farm inputs to bureaucracy in government over payments, saying they will now be direct directly at treasury. Chiyembekeza’s comment amid panic calls from the farmers and legislators to speed up the distribution as the country counts down to the onset of […]
The Malawi agriculture sector is enjoying a massive investment of about $500 million in the 2015/16 financial year, running from July to June, but the question is whether the sector will get the maximum return from the investment. The donor contribution to the sector is estimated at $265 million, while the government and non-governmental organisations […]
Government has admitted that farm input programme has delayed this year and heaped the blame on suppliers and marketers. Minister of Agriculture Allan Chiyembekeza however said the delay will not affect the programme. “We will roll out next week, we were disappointed by our suppliers and marketers,” said the minister in an interview. The programme […]
Government has assured the nation that it is committed to meeting the international targets of halving the proportion of people without access to safe and clean water and improved sanitation by the year 2015 and the national targets of universal access by 2025. The remarks were made by the Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water […]