People of Mlanga and Mbinda Villages in Traditional Authority Nsomba in Blantyre have been struggling to provide basic needs for their families caught in a vicious cycle of poverty and hunger.

The famine situation has been a trigger of a string of problems in the community. For example, hungry children failed to attend classes on regular basis. Malnutrition rose among u-5s. Parents failed to meet fee-commitment for their children. Community productivity fell as observed in low public project participation.

But Makadani Irrigation Scheme has injected a new lease of life in Mlanga and Mbinda Villages through gravity-fed irrigation project under MASAF IV.

The gravity fed project draws its water from Mudi River for the irrigation project which covers 21 hectares. Makadani Irrigation Scheme has a membership of 47 farmers comprising of 55% women and 45% men.

Secretary for the Scheme, Liness Masekesa says before MASAF IV threw its weight behind the irrigation project, farmers were using cans to water their crops with negligible effect on food production. The farmers could not on their own manage to divert water to their fields.

Masekesa says MASAF IV supported the community to construct a concrete weir and water canals that increased the capacity of the irrigation scheme.

“Tables have turned. For a couple of years now our harvest has more than doubled. In fact, we have had surpluses since 2017,” Masekesa explains. The revamped irrigation system at the scheme is the source of renewed vigour among the farmers. The scheme members grow maize and vegetables more than two times in a year for domestic and commercial purposes.

The irrigation scheme has been a beacon of hope to the laggards who have now been lured by the fruits of farming to join the established colleagues to take up farming as a business and main source of household income.

As Jeffrey Sangala testifies: "I was about to drop out of school because I could not afford school fees before I joined the project. It is the money realized through this irrigation scheme that helped me complete my secondary school education at Mitsidi Secondary School.”

Sangala is thankful to MASAF IV for bringing such ‘a great change’ in the community. The student farmer says through Makadani Irrigation Scheme he is poised to proceed with his tertiary education at university level.

The stories are many, and as Assistant Irrigation Engineer for Blantyre District Agricultural Development Office, Dennis Puwapuwa says he is satisfied with the speed at which villagers have been transformed into self-believing and focused on becoming food and financially independent.

“It is true that these villages were way behind in terms of food security. The introduction of MASAF IV has really transformed the communities within the shortest period of time,” says Puwapuwa.