Traditional leaders have hailed the Integrated Resilience Programme (IRP) in Balaka describing it as a catalyst for sustainable development.

Group Village Head Chipole in Traditional Authority Mbera’s area made the remarks during a World Food Programme (WFP) projects monitoring tour.

GVH Chipole believes the innovations being championed in the project are in line with adaptation strategies in the wake of climate change.

At the household of GVH Chipole it was established that before the rollout of the Integrated Resilience Programme in his area, life was hard in many aspects. His house was grass thatched but now it’s roofed with corrugated iron sheets and though not connected to the electricity grid he has lights at night powered by a portable solar system he acquired through the gains he has realised through the project. He told MBC Online that land resource innovations such as the construction of check dams, deep trenches and swales have led to improved yields and household income.

“My garden is on a steep slope. Previously surface runoff affected the fertility of the garden. With these innovations like deep trenches, I can confirm they have worked to my advantage and yields have improved. You will also appreciate that this area often receives erratic rainfall. What WFP has taught us through their partners has helped to retain moisture content in our fields hence the improved yields,” said Chipole.

The traditional leader’s wife, Jesse Inusi, said the energy-saving cookstoves have significantly led to the conservation of forests in the area as she just needs less firewood to run her household. Understanding the impact of climate change on agriculture, this area has embarked on massive reforestation and afforestation drive with 12 homegrown forests to their credit. Chipole says the forests act as heat sinks and have given rise to another income-generating activity of beekeeping.

The tour took us to the house of Hanna Kananji. Though not one of the project beneficiaries, she has been modelling her household and farming innovations on the IRP. In her testimony, the integrated farming approach has enabled her to buy iron sheets and she is optimistic to roof her house soon and within the same period, she has also expanded her cassava garden intending to raise enough capital to venture into the Kabaza motorcycle business.

“Our main occupation here is farming. Unfortunately, an inadequate extension service has been a big challenge in this area. The coming in of WFP and its partners has left a huge impact. I have been replicating what fellow farmers have been learning and it has assisted me as you can see these iron sheets that I bought recently and over there is my cassava garden and am hoping come next year I will make good sales from the farm produce and buy a motorcycle,” said Kananji.

Winding up in Balaka, Chimwemwe Luhanga, Field Facilitator for Find Your Feet explained to the entourage the effectiveness of these new farming technologies in enhancing garden moisture content, stopping soil erosion and checking the development of gullies and reclaiming the land.

WFP’s country director, Benoit Thiry said the projects his organisation is running in collaboration with its partners on the ground are making a difference.

“The mandate of WFP is to achieve food security and improving income of the people on the ground as articulated by the Sustainable Development Goals and ending malnutrition. For this to be accomplished we integrate as much as possible with different programmes such as the school feeding which is increasing school attendance and also creating a sustainable income for local farmers who supply the foodstuffs.

“When we pool these projects; Watershed Management, WASH, School Feeding, Nutrition Programme etc what is impressive of all these is to see lives of people transformed,” said Thiry.

A total of 8,460 households are benefiting from the project in Balaka. WFP is running the project with funding from the USA Government, Flanders and Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) of the UK Government, BMZ.

Currently, agriculture is the mainstay of the country’s economy and the WFP believes when the productivity of farmers is enhanced and the country is food secure, the economy will be bolstered.