By Wezzie Gausi:
The Green Belt Authority (GBA) has said about K925 million is earmarked for production of maize in the 2023-24 growing season.
According to GBA, the maize will be grown in Salima District under Salima Sugar, Nkopola in Mangochi District and Nchalo in Chikwawa District.
In an interview, GBA Chief Executive Officer Eric Chidzungu said, at its Chikwawa Scheme in Salima, the authority is producing maize on 300 hectares (ha).
He said the authority will undertake maize production during the 2024 winter irrigation season at Nchalo Scheme on a 100 ha.
“At Nkopola site, the authority is supporting farmers to produce on 320ha through provision of seeds, fertilisers and extension services. The authority will undertake maize production during the 2024 winter season as agreed with farmers in a memorandum of understanding.
“The Nchalo production was postponed to winter as the scheme is currently undergoing rehabilitation and also to avoid production being affected by floods as was experienced during the 2022-23 production season as the area is flood prone,”Chidzungu said.
Agricultural policy expert Horace Phiri said it was surprising that the government was allocating extra resources for maize production when it already pumped billions of Kwacha into a similar cause, the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP).
“Shouldn’t GBA be focusing on irrigation? Considering our history of sufficient food production, it would be more beneficial to shift our focus towards cultivating exportable cash crops instead,” Phiri said.
The Treasury released K2 billion to GBA for the implementation of mega farms, of which part of the money is meant for scheme rehabilitation and maize production.
Recently, President Lazarus Chakwera discussed with Afrexim Bank on mega farm funding, which is expected to boost the food security and economy of the nation.
Through partnership with Afrexim bank, the government is to develop 50,000 ha of arable land and facilitate crop production in rice, soya beans, maize and cotton.