World Bank approves US $37m loan to revamp irrigation systems

Malawi's ageing irrigation schemes will be getting a revamp following the approval of a US $37 million World Bank loan, a senior official confirmed on Friday. Director of Irrigation Sandram Muweru told IRIN the funds would go towards rehabilitating and establishing new irrigation sites in 11 districts across the country. "Work has already been undertaken on restoring four schemes in certain parts of the country - most of these were established in the 60s and 70s and are overdue for repair," Muweru said. Districts earmarked for new irrigation sites include Blantyre, Zomba, Chikwawa and Nsanje in Southern Province; Dedza in Central Province; and Rumphi and Chitipa in Northern Province. Some of the money will also be spent on encouraging local communities to adopt new farming techniques and raising awareness of the benefits of crop diversification. Muweru said the government hoped the improved irrigation systems would boost smallholder crop production. "So far, we have been very unlucky with the weather - we have had poor harvests for nearly three years, and this is because we are dependent on rains. While the [government-sponsored] seeds to the rural poor does help, intensive irrigating is probably the only lasting way to ensure adequate crop production," he told IRIN. Almost 500,000 mt of food will be required to assist up to two million Malawians facing food shortages this year.