Chileka Terminal Building Ready in December

Government speaks optimism that terminal building refurbishment works at Chileka International Airport in Blantyre will see its completion this year in December.

In an interview, Minister of Transport Hon. Francis Kasaila, says the terminal building ground floor works were completed, remaining with the upper floor expected to complete in December this year.

The terminal building at the airport was in a dilapidated state and created congestion for the arrival and departure sections posing security challenges as well compromising the security for airlines due to overcrowding.

The refurbishment works on other hand have crippled airline services and in the mean time, the newly licensed airline ‘Fastjet’ has been denied permission to introduce another Blantyre-Dar es Salaam flight route due to the problem.

Kasaila 

“We have not given them (Fastjet) permission to operate between De res Salaam and Blantyre because there are number of issues that have to be sorted out.” Said Kasaila “One of them being status of terminal building.”

Kasaila assured that by December this year, the terminal building will be able to accommodate more airlines and that, Government will consider allowing airline operators to resume services including introduction of Blantyre- Dar es Salaam route by Fastjet.

“What we are doing at Chileka is to make sure that we complete the rehabilitation of terminal building so that all other processes and security checks are done properly.

“Now we have completed the rehabilitation for the ground floor for the terminal building and we are now working to complete the upper floor for the terminal building which may complete in December and we will be able to accommodate more airlines.” Explained Kasaila

After completion of rehabilitation of the terminal building, Kasaila says government will begin to rehabilitate the runaways.

“Without upgrading them we are not going to accommodate more traffic from the operators because conditions do not allow us.”

Malawi's 2014/2015 Crop Estimates Worrisome

• 223 thousand Metric tones of Maize deficit including other cash crops

• Animal husbandry registered an increase 

• Government playdown hunger fears

The Malawi crop estimates for the 2014/2015 season are worrisome as the Agriculture Production Estimates Survey (APES 2014/2015) reveal a decrease in almost every crop grown in the country.

Ministry of Agriculture survey indicates that maize production decreased from 3.978 million metric tons realized in 2013/2014 agricultural season to 2.776 million metric tons in the current agricultural season representing 30.2 percent decline in production.

The new figure is a bit lower from the second round where the Ministry estimated maize production at 2.876 million metric tons.

However, Government maintains that the results should not scare people as mitigation measures are in place to ensure that no one die of hunger this year. 

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Honorable Allan Chiyembekeza said during the news conference that based on the national maize requirement, now the actual national maize deficit for the country is 223,723 metric tons.

“The just ended season was not favorable for agriculture for two reasons; we had very heavy rains which unfortunately started late and resulted in serious flooding, and if that was not enough, barely a month or later we had a very dry spell” said Chiyembeka when presenting the final crop estimates in Lilongwe.

“Because of that definitely our harvest for this past year hasn’t been that good and that’s why the results have registered a reduction in yield of almost all the crops we grow in this country” he said

Malawi’s maize requirement based on the population projection and industrial use for the year is at about 3 million metric tons. National maize requirement, 2.563 million metric tons is for food use only while the rest is required for seed, feed and industrial use; and replenishment of the Strategic Grain Reserve. 

Thought this year’s crop production seem to be bad news for the nation, Hon. Chiyembekeza has assured that there is no need for panic

“But I know that we also eat other food crops. If we diversify our meals to other food crops, there will be less impact of hunger in the country.” Said Chiyembekeza 

The Minister further indicated that the third round Agriculture Production Estimates Survey (APES 2014/2015) results also show that production of other major food crops such as rice, millet, cassava and sorghum is down. However, potatoes and sweet potatoes have increased by 4.1% and 2.7%, respectively.

Some cash crops have registered decreases including cotton which is down by 40.1% while groundnuts production is down by 25.4%. 

In terms of livestock, Chiyembekeza said, the population of cattle has increased from 1.316 million to 1.398 million representing 6.1 percent increase as compared to the final round for the 2013/2014 agricultural season. 

Mitigation Measures to Counteract Food Deficit

The agriculture minister has assured that Government through the Ministry had put in place several mitigation measures to offset anticipated food deficits.

Honorable Allan Chiyembekeza said with funding from the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund amounting to about MK401 Million (US$900,000) implemented the Cassava and Sweet Potato Production Program as a response to the floods and dry spells. The area planted with cassava and sweet potato totals about 5,000 ha. 

Chiyembekeza said, 500,000 Metric tons of maize harvest is expect from winter cropping following the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers for irrigation farming by Ministry and number of Development Partners, NGOs, and private sector.

He further mentioned that Government is expected to buy about 115,000 metric tons of maize from MK15 billion that was allocated in the national budget for procuring maize to meet food need of the population. 

Chiyembekeza then said that National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) will procure maize using as platforms the Agricultural Commodity Exchange (ACE) and the Auction Holdings Commodity Exchange (AHCX). NFRA has since started holding auctions on the platforms but contracts are yet to be awarded to potential suppliers

The Minister also mentioned that to date, ADMARC has borrowed MK1.8 billion which is being used to procure maize

“As of 3rd August, ADMARC had bought 9,814 metric tons of maize at an average price of MK110 per kg translating into a total cost of MK1.09 billion. The remaining funds (MK0.7 billion) are expected to buy about 6,400 metric tons.

“Therefore, with budget funds and ADMARC resources totaling MK16.8 billion, Government will be able to buy 126,000 metric tons of maize.” He aid

“In addition, Government bought 30,000 metric tons from Zambia and mandated ADMARC to uplift it into the Country. So far, 6,164 metric tons of the 30,000 metric tons has been lifted into the country. It is expected that the rest of the tonnage will be in the country by end of September.” Said Chiyembekeza

Desperate of Baby: Woman Steal a Month-Old Baby in Kasungu

A 25 year old woman pretended a good friend then vanished for a day with a month old baby girl now arrested by Kasungu police.

The woman identified by Police in Kasungu as Loveness Ngulube aged 25 has been arrested for stealing a month-old baby girl belonging to a woman identified as Ndaziona Phiri. 

“On Wednesday 5th August 2015 at around 12:00 hours Loveness met Ndaziona Phiri who was at that time coming from Kasungu District hospital and was on her way home

“Then Loveness approached Ndaziona to ask offer help carry the baby.” Explained Sub Inspector Edna Mzingwitsa, Kasungu Deputy Police Public Relations Officer

Unsuspectingly Mzingwitsa said Ndaziona handed the baby to ‘the loving stranger’ Loveness but as they walked towards Kasungu main market Loveness disappeared with the baby.

Sub Inspector Mzingwitsa then said the mother of the baby rushed to Kasungu Police to report the incident.

“Police officers instituted investigation which led to the arrest of Loveness at Katchembere village within the district.” Said Sub Inspector Mzingwitsa

“At the police station, Loveness said she desperately needs a baby. She explained that since 2013 she got married, her family has never had a gift of a baby.” Said Mzingwitsa who indicated that Loveness will appear in court soon to answer the charge of Child stealing contrary to section 167 of the penal code which attracts maximum sentence of 7 years imprisonment with hard labour

The suspect Loveness Ngulube comes from Edingeni village of TA Mberwa in Mzimba district

FISP Farmer Contribution Total Cost Increased to K8,500

If you are Malawian smallholder farmer waiting to buy cheap fertilizer and seeds from the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) please adjust your budget. 

Malawian smallholder farmer should expect to deep more in the pocket as their cost of contribution towards the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) has gone up by 600% per each bag of fertilizer.

Previous years, each 50kg bag of fertilizer for FISP was costing K500, now Government has decided to put each bag of fertilizer at K3500 translating a total cost of K7000 (seven thousand kwacha) for Urea and NPK fertilizer bags.

That is not all, as 5kg packet of maize Seed will cost K1000 and for a packet of legume seed farmers will contribute K500.  

Now, FISP beneficiaries should be spending K8,500 for the programme.

Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Hon. Allan Chiyembekeza announced the changes at Capital Hill in Lilongwe saying this follows reforms that government has taken in response to calls.

“This year, the programme beneficiaries will be contributing quite substantial amount of money” he said before announcing the new costs

“We as Government have been pushed left and right because everybody continued to say that we are spending too much money on the Farm Input Subsidy at the expense of other Government programmes which we understood and to some extent agreed” said Chiyembekeza.

He said; “So there was need for some kind of reforms in the Farm Input Subsidy Programme.” 

Justifying the adjustments Chiyembekeza said “All this has been done in response to the outcry because this is what many people wanted including donors that at least we would want to make contribution of the farmer to be seen to be reasonable so that at least they can also feel that they are part of the programme” 

Previous years, a farmer was contributing K500 (five hundred kwacha) for each fertilizer bag and it costs them K1000 (one thousand kwacha) for two bags. And for seed maize, it was K150 while legume seeds were given out for free because there was support from development partners on seed part. However this year the Minister revealed that “We still haven’t been assured whether there is going to be that support”

The Agriculture Minister also indicated that as part of reforms in the programme, the private sector will be involved in the supply, distribution and direct retail of some of the fertilizer earmarked for seven selected districts as pilot.

“We are doing this as a pilot because we don’t know whether it will work as people anticipate. So we don’t want to put all our eggs in one basket. If this proves to be more cost effective and more efficient than the system we have always used, definitely future farm input subsidy programmes will be used through this system” he said

But Chiyembekeza clarified that the remainder of the districts will follow the same old system where Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) and ADMARK will be markets for the FISP fertilizer.

He also hinted that procurement of fertilizer will be done by SFFRFM but evaluation for the bids of fertilizer which opened on 31st July 2015 will either be completed end of this week or early next week.

Honorable Chiyembekeza indicated that bids for transport will be done this Friday 7th August 2015. 

However,  the Minister said beneficiary identification will be done in due course by special identification system. 

He said,  government has registered already all farmers across the country that grow maize with land holding capacity of 5 hectares maximum. He said the 1. 5 million beneficiaries will be devided by the total number of maize farmers then the given percentage is going to be applied to all villages.  He added from such system chiefs will not identify the beneficiarys and that those that will benefit this year will be removed from the system to pave way for other farmers. He said this system will remove issues of favouritism during identification of beneficiaries. 

FISP will clock 11 years since its implementation, with an aim of achieving food self sufficiency and increased income of resource poor farmers through increased maize and legume production.

The 2015/2016 budget allocated K41.5 billion for the programme targeting 1.5 million beneficiaries. From the budget, Government will procure and subsidize 150 thousand metric tonnes of fertilizer where; 75 thousand metric tonnes will be for NPK fertilizer and another 75 thousand metric tonnes of fertiliser will be for Urea.

Speed Climate Policy Enactment Urge Catholic Church

His Grace Thomas Msusa 

Catholic Church in Malawi has emphasided the importance of enactment of all legislations that may support in mitigating the continued effects of climate change. 

Malawi has this year experienced worst climate change effects following erratic rainfall and floods in most parts of the country. 

The Bishop Chairman for the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) His Grace, Thomas Msusa has asked Malawi Government to speed up the process of enacting all policies that addresses the climate change mitigation.

Msusa was speaking at on Tuesday night in the Capital city, Lilongwe during the launch of Pope Francis Encyclical 'Laudato Si' which calls the world to protect and preserve the environment.

"Surely in Malawi we are affected seriously about climate change." Said Msusa Arch Bishop of Blantyre Arch Diocese then gave an example of recent adverse floods and drought which hit most parts of the country as a vivid sign that climate issues needs serious attention.

"So we would like to see government which is concerned with the welfare of poor people to speed enactment of climate policy" urged Msusa

"We are agro-based economy." He said, "We would like to invite political leaders, government and religious leaders and everyone to have an advocacy on these policies that government should speed up enactment of Agriculture policy and Climate policy" adding that this will help people to have proper direction on taking care of environment

Hon Bright Msaka 

Responding to the call, Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining, Hon. Bright Msaka who was at the launch a guest of honor said Government is "making huge progress" on process of enactment of legislations that are deals with climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Msaka said; "We are leaving nothing undone to ensure that we address the effects of climate change, mitigate and adapt"  

He explained "There are many pieces of legislation that are already addressing the issue of environment. We have Forest Act which is in existence and that is going to be amended shortly, we have Forest Policy that is under process now and is before cabinet and it was last week discussed by the Cabinet Committee responsible of these matters and was passed.

"Similarly the Climate Change Management Policy was discussed by the Committee of Cabinet and the Committee referred the document to Cabinet."

He then assured "Passage of Climate Change Policy by Cabinet will be in matter of weeks when cabinet meets and discuss on it. Be assured that Climate Change Policy and Agriculture Policy are to be enacted soon and we are making huge progress on this".

Standard Bank Conducts ‘Be Your Own Bank-Transact & Win’ Promotion First Draw

Standard Bank Be your own bank 1st Draw 

Lucky Current Account customers for Standard Bank begins to receive prizes for the 'Be Your Own Bank-Transact & Win' Promotion as the Bank conducts the first fortnight draw of the promotion.

Standard Bank officials conducting the draw

The first draw conducted on Tuesday, saw customer, Fiona Kalemba winning prize of the day, Samsung Galaxy S6. 15 customers won T-shirts, another 15 won caps while 5 won flash discs.

The promotion launched two weeks ago aims at promoting internet banking usage in Malawi for greater customer convenience and security.

Charity Mughogho

Charity Mughogho, Head of Personal Markets for the bank says the bank has registered huge positive response as it received more than 400 registered new users within the first two weeks of the promotion.

She said customers are getting comfortable using the self-service channel 'internet banking' as the bank experienced "a commensurate increase" in internet banking transactions during the same period. 

"The response in the first two weeks is encouraging and prospects are high that more people will come forward to join us in this new era of digital and paperless banking" said Mughogho

Charity Mughogho

"We would like to reiterate the fact that our internet banking platform offers great convenience and security to our customer hence our drive to encourage of the platform.

"Gone are the days when customers always had to walk to the bank or talk to a banker in order to transact. With internet banking transactions can be performed from literally anywhere and it is important that our customers become more comfortable using platforms to transact." Explained Mughogho

Existing Standard Bank Current Account customers need to register for internet Banking while potential ones should open a Current Account complete with the Internet Banking service option. 

With a minimum of four transactions every two weeks using internet banking, one stands a chance to win the six fortnight's promotion prizes that include a Samsung Galaxy S6, flash discs, caps and T-shirts.

Grand prize money is K1 million and K500 thousand for runner-up and third placed winner will walk away home with a DSTV Explorer plus a month's Premium subscription which will be given at the end of promotion in October.

Man, 33, In Police Custody For Defiling Four Girls in a Row

A man aged 33 is in Kasungu Police custody for allegedly defiling four young girls in a row. 

According to Kasungu Police Public Relations Officer Inspector Edwin Kaunda, the man identified as Mpembanji Chisale defiled four young girls of the age ranging from 8 year old to 10 year old. 

Kaunda said, the suspect who works as a tenant at a certain farm, is alleged to have taken some few bottles of beer at Kachere village, later enticed four young girls to have sex with him.

"He took the girls to one of the house and defiled them one after the other." Said Inspector Kaunda 

Inspector Kaunda said the girls revealed to their parents of what had happened to them and without hesitation they rushed to Kasungu Police. 

Kaunda said the suspect, Mpembanji will appear in court soon to answer four charges of

defilement.

Mpembanji comes from Kachere village of TA Mwase in Kasungu.