‘Malawi can achieve 100 percent food security’

The Israeli government says it is committed to transforming Malawi from a food insecure nation to a food-sustaining country through the introduction of drip irrigation which will see farmers harvest twice a year.

Israeli Ambassador Gil Haskel said this on Tuesday at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre after meeting President Joyce Banda where they discussed the possibility of improving the agriculture sector through the use of modern technology.

Haskel said Malawi has proper landscape for new innovations such as trickle irrigation.

“Malawi has a flat landscape enriched with soil fertility suitable for drip irrigation that can enable farmers to achieve sufficient yields by cultivating twice per year.

“Through drip irrigation, most ordinary Malawians will be able to grow crops for both consumption and export, thereby generating income,” he said.

Ministry of Agriculture principal secretary Dr Jeffrey Luhanga said the country can adopt modern technology owing to its economic use of water.

Luhanga said for the country to adopt the new innovation, it requires technicians like those provided by Israel to guide locals. —Mana