US gives Malawi farmers $240 000 grant
The US Government, through its United States African Development Fund (USADF) has given dairy farmers at Chimbiya in Dedza District over K85 million to strengthen their cooperative.
The signing agreement between the US Ambassador Jeannine Jackson and members of Chitsanzo Dairy Farmers Cooperative took place yesterday at its centre.
“This grant is for about $240 000,” said Jackson, a figure that is around K86 million.
The USADF has already invested K36 million in eight dairy sector projects across the country with the aim of generating over $3.5 million of new activity and support 3 900 farmers and their 20 000 family members in a six-year period.
Jackson said this was the group’s second grant. The first amounting to over K14 million was given last year.
The cooperative is registered by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It has 310 members since 1976.
“Currently, our organisation operates as a dairy pass-on-cooperative where our members pay a fee and eventually, receive a dairy cow. In the time being, we thought it would be more helpful to have an assisting pass-on- programme with livestock that produces quicker and with less labour, hence, goats and pigs were introduced,” said Chitsanzo’s cooperative, chairperson Fredson Mlangali.
Assistant director of enterprises in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, George Mwase, said Malawi has taken specific focus to investing in dairy farming.
