The crops outlook in Kasungu looks good in most fields promising a good yield for most households.

The prospects of having a good yield has been attributed to the good rains and also the Affordable Input Programme (AIP).

Much as this is the case, the pilot climate smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (EPWP) has also contributed to the good yield.

Chairperson of Mphazi Catchment Area Khamalatha Siliya said most of the farmers who are beneficiaries of EPWP had money to buy fertilizer for their maize fields and now the maize fields look promising.

“The good thing was that the people here received the project with both hands when it came. They were committed to work in the sub projects and in the end got their pay,

“It is with this payment that most beneficiaries had to buy bags of the subsidized fertilizer for their maize fields and the rest of the money used for other needs,” said Siliya.

The hope of yielding more crops through earnings from EPWP is just a bonus to what the beneficiaries have done at Mphazi catchment.

About 18,970 trees have been planted on top of 840 bamboos which most have done well.

The catchment also has other sub projects in soil conservation where they have planted vetiver grass to control soil from being washed away and in agroforestry where fertilizer trees like Gliricidia sepium have been planted in fields.

PCI Malawi, one of the organizations working with communities in combating food insecurity and drought, and its partner Emmanuel International had to visit and appreciate what the communities are doing in Mphazi catchment.

Jam Masebo disaster and risk reduction coordinator for Emmanuel International said he was satisfied and enlightened with the visit.

Masebo said if the community in the catchment can take care of the assets they are creating there will be change.

“It is important for everyone in the committee to know what is happening in the programme and be able to know what needs to be achieved,

He however said councils should also take a huge role in driving the initiative.

“Let these be part of the District Development Plans (DDP) and let councils take a role in monitoring and supervising,” he said.

Team leader for PCI Jones Chimpukuso however urged the catchment committees to always put down in writing whatever they are doing as a committee.

“Documentation of your activities is not there despite the committee meeting most of the times. There is need to have somewhere where things are written down,” said Chimpukuso.

Story Credit: Vincent Khonje, District Information Officer, Kasungu

National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) is implementing the pilot EPWP in Kasungu, Lilongwe, Dowa, Nkhotakota, Karonga, Chitipa, Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Balaka and Phalombe.