Kaliati urges Dowa farmers to embrace saving culture

Farmers in Dowa have been asked to adopt a saving culture to be self-reliant whenever disaster strikes.

Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Patricia Kaliati made the remark when she visited dairy farmers supported by Heifer international in Traditional Authority Nkukula.

She said most farmers in the country are exploited by loan sharks in times of disaster because they have no choice, but to borrow at any cost to make up for the loss they suffer.

“It is good that now you are making money from dairy farming, but this does not mean you should be spending lavishly. It is time to save so that you have somewhere to start from in case of disaster,” said Kaliati.

One of the dairy farmers, Chimwemwe Nkhoma, said that his life has changed for the better since 2015 when he started dairy farming.

Heifer International country director Petronella Kasaka Halwindi said the organisation is implementing the programme in Dowa, Mchinji, Lilongwe and Thyolo with funding from the Department for International Development (DfID).

She said the aim of the programme is to improve people’s livelihoods in rural communities through agriculture, adult literacy and village savings and loans (VSL). n