|
The government of Japan on Thursday gave Malawi a grant of about K1.2 billion for rehabilitation of the Bwanje Valley Irrigation System in Ntcheu.
According to a press statement from the Japanese embassy in Zambia, the grant agreement was signed between Masaaki Miyashita, Japanese Lusaka-based Ambassador to Malawi, and Chrissie Chawanje-Mughogho, Malawi’s High Commissioner to Zambia.
The statement says the grant follows the production of a project design, which was undertaken with financial assistance from Japan worth about K40 million. This part of the agreement was signed in Lusaka in November, 2005.
“The grant will be used to implement the project for the rehabilitation of the Bwanje Valley Irrigation System which was damaged by floods in 2002 and 2003,” reads the statement.
The project consists of a hard component which involves headworks rehabilitation, settling basin rehabilitation, main canal relocation and land levelling and a soft component involving land re-allocation, strengthening of water management systems and establishment of flood damage and repair measures.
“It is hoped that the project will be successfully undertaken and will contribute to the provision of better and sustainable agricultural services to the people of Bwanje Valley which, in turn, will contribute to the economic and social development of Malawi,” says the release.
During the signing ceremony, Chawanje-Mughogho said Malawi does not take the Japanese aid for granted.
“We appreciate very much Japan’s continuous assistance to the socio-economic development of Malawi. On behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of Malawi, I wish to thank the government and the people of Japan for their increasing assistance,” said Mughogho.
On his part, Miyashita said the project was identified as a priority area to mitigate effects of drought on a sustainable basis.
He said Japan is also co-operating with Malawi in the implementation of small-scale irrigation projects.
|
