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M’mbelwa council calls for transparency among NGOs

 

M’mbelwa District Council  Agriculture Committee has asked organisations working in Mzimba District to be transparent and accountable.

Speaking when they inspected Find Your Feet’s sustainable agriculture  project, Mzimba East legislator Christopher Mnyenyembe, a member of the committee, said some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) “exist just on paper ”.

A farmer in her maize field in Mzimba

The initiative involves lead farmers in scale up climate-smart agricultural methods—including pit planting, zero tillage, manure-making and marker ridges—to  improve livelihoods of 24 000 farming families in Mzimba and Nkhata Bay.

“Engaging the committee to monitor your projects is one way of being accountable so that NGOs’ impact can be felt on the ground. It shows that they have nothing to hide. They want us to see for ourselves the impact of what they are doing,” he said.

Committee chairperson Goodnews Banda said not many NGOs are forthcoming.

Find Your Feet programme manager Melina Mtonga said the NGO promotes transparency and accountability in its dealings.

“The committee that is supposed to monitor government and NGO programmes, but hardly reaches all areas because of financial constraints. This is why we funded their trip,” she said.

Mzimba North district agriculture development officer Beatrice Mbakaya said climate-smart agriculture is reducing hunger and poverty despite recurrent dry spells in the country.n

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