Farmers in Karonga District have called on government to remove duty on irrigation equipment to enable them enhance irrigation farming to improve food and income security.

The farmers call on government comes a month after President Lazarus Chakwera toured irrigation projects in Rumphi and Karonga district. During the visit, the President appealed to farmers to embrace irrigation farming to counter food shortage in the country.

Faswani Silungwe a farmer in the district said the district has fresh waters and arable soil that, if well utilized, can turn it into a food basket.

He also added that “small –scale farmers have the potential to venture into irrigation farming. However, the major challenge is exorbitant prices of irrigation equipment. Let government put a waiver on the equipment so that more small-scale farmers can buy them.

Collins Mwenekibombwe who is also a farmer added that it is high time government facilitated the formation of farmers’ club and initiated farm inputs loans at competitive interest rates.

He concluded that they have a lake and rivers, but they fail to utilize the water resources due to lack of irrigation equipment. It is either government subsidises the equipment or removes excise duty on them.

An agriculture expert Tamani Nkhono Mvula agreed with the farmers, saying high prices of irrigation equipment is hampering winter farming. Let government remove duty on the equipment or consider subsidizing them so that farmers can afford them.

Dickxie Kampani, Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary said government is trying to ensure that most irrigation equipment is affordable for small-scale farmers.

He concluded that although he is not sure on which equipment is imported duty-free but most of irrigation equipment is imported duty-free to enhance winter cropping.

Source:NPL