Malawi: Communities from Ntcheu district have achieved a significant step in environmental restoration and economic empowerment. The district has received significant technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO through its AREECA project.
The farmers and other individuals from Tsangano Extension Planning Area (EPA) spoke to the media. They have expressed gratitude to the organizers of the project saying that it is not only a response to environmental challenges.
At the same time, the project is also a means to diversify their livelihoods and promote sustainable land management.
Chammy Adamson a lead farmer from Chibondo village in the area of Traditional Authority Mpando, said the project has helped them to recover the lost fertility in their soil.
“Through this project i received five goats which I am able to collect manure and use them in the garden that has helped to improve soil fertility of my field,” he said.
“We also have a Vetiver nursery that we share with other Vetiver grass to plant in their slope fields to intercept running waters and combat soil erosion,” added Adamson.
Stina George of Liyada village in the same area said the coming of FAO’s AREECA project has contributed to food security in their area.
“Previously, we were only depending on the rainy season to plant our crops but FAO constructed an irrigation scheme for us in Katayemowa river which enabled us to harvest three times a year” she said.
Additionally, chairperson of Gomolankhilisimasi natural regeneration club, Joachim Tobias, said FAO has restored the lost glory in their area.
“The coming of FAO has helped us to restore Gomolankhilisimasi forest which was destroyed due to charcoal burning as well as careless cutting down of trees, and now we are able to eat wild fruits such as mapoza, matowo, nthudza and masuku,” he said.
AREECA is a project implemented by the government of Malawi with technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization.