By Kondanani Chilimunthaka
President Lazarus Chakwera who has wrapped up his three day Crop Inspection tour for the Southern Region has said he is impressd with the way some farmers are injecting efforts in farming to get bumper yields.
He was speaking at Mpinganjira football ground of Traditional Authority Mponda in Mangochi in the morning of Wednesday, March 30,2022 as he wound up his Crop Inspection tour for the Southern Region that covered Thyolo, Zomba, and Mangochi Districts respectively.
Speaking to reporters soon after inspecting the maize garden of Chikoko family which is being led by a young female farmer (Constance Chikoko), Chakwera expressed great impression considering how the young girl managed to buy 3 bags of fertilizer regardless of not being a beneficiary of the Affordable Inputs Program for 2021/22 farming season.
“I am highly impressed by the farmers field school, by lead farmers, even by efforts of those who did not get anything at all in-terms of the availability of Affordable Inputs, and then by those creative enough to be able to do something with what they could get regardless of what was not available to produce something like what is behind me. The creativity, the innovation, the hard-work, exemplifying the very spirit of Malawi 2063 to be self-reliant.” Said President Chakwera standing in front of the Chikoko’ maize garden, while encouraging Malawian Youths to emulate the spirit of youthful Constance Chikoko.
But making his remarks during a developmental rally at Mpinganjira football ground, President Chakwera emphasized on the point of the need for the country to be self-reliant in food security, saying his tour was meant to see and hear for himself from the farmers themselves by considering the fields of farmers whose gardens have done well and even those whose gardens are not promising good harvest so that his administration has information for action.
Chakwera then said his happiness for visiting the district is so great as it has accomplished the whole purpose of his tours to the Southern Region.
“To have time of conducting such tours is important as it gives real reflection of what is on ground, as well as to learn other things by hearing and having seen by myself when I meet you directly in your fields.” Said the President.
Then President Chakwera told the gathering that his government has excellent plans for agriculture sector, which he said need to be implemented so as to realize the agenda 2063, as agriculture remains a strong pillar holding the vision so that Malawi is developed and become self-reliant with improved farm mechanization, Trade and Industries, and its people having wealth.
President Chakwera further appealed to all Malawians to work hard for the growth of the country, saying no-one will come from elsewhere to develop Malawi if not its own citizens.
Citing the example of Constance Chikoko, President Chakwera expressed confidence that given assistance, she can turn into a vibrant commercial farmer, adding that farmers field school he visited in the district has given him a great feeling that given support, the vision of turning into a serious commercial farming country is possible.
Mangochi being the Lakeshore district, President Chakwera did not finish his speech without mentioning how he intends to develop it into a tourism industry area, and also how the district needs to embark on serious fish farming for increased wealth to the citizenry.
Malawi leader has since wished all Muslims a successful period of fasting that is expected to go underway in few days to come.
After his successful crop inspection tour of the Southern Region, President Lazarus Chakwera is expected to open this year’s tobacco selling season at Kanengo Action Floors in the Capital Lilongwe on Thursday, March 31,2022.