Irrigation Farming: Panacea of Holla’s Income Nightmare

By Lonjezo Jamu

Holla, Busy like a bee in his garden- Photo by Lonjezo Jamu

As a matter of addressing unemployment in Malawi, a Blantyre-Chirimba based farmer Edward Holla Ndau has hailed irrigation farming as a panacea of his financial limitations.

After exhausting all possible means of economic empowerment in 2008 he started irrigation farming on a small piece of land with a watering cane for almost a year till one day when visitors from an organisation called Peoples Federation for National Peace and development (PEFNAP) visited his garden and perhaps that was the turning point of his farming activities.

“After seeing my garden they stopped for a short chart and admired what I was doing and said they would help me with some resources to boost my farming.They later gave me K50,000 cash, 4 bags of fertilisers and 6 watering canes. This was the turning point of my farming activities,” he said.

Holla said the support improved his farming standards and was able to add more varieties of crops for growing at his garden and this led to increase of workload at the farm, he invited his three brothers and cousin to join forces and work together as a family. Currently, Holla has managed to secure job opportunity for three permanent employees and other part time workers and basically helping to address the issue of unemployment in the country.

Today, Holla grows crops such as Maize, Bananas, Mangoes, Sugarcane, Sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, Guavas and Paw Paws, just to mention a few. So far he has reliable customers whom he trade with. 

“Some of our main customers are Schools such Michiru Secondary Schools as well as vegetable traders from Limbe , Blantyre and Lunzu markets where we sell our produce at a whole sale price”, he said.

Meanwhile Executive Director for PEFENAP Edward Chaka has disclosed that he was impressed with Holla’s garden hence decided to stop by and help him to boost his irrigation farming. PEFNAP also provides entrepreneurship counselling to youth in different areas.

“We got attracted with his farming activities and briefly stopped there for short chart with him, we decided to give him some materials to help him to boost his irrigation activities. Our organisation also provides entrepreneurship counselling to youth so that their lives should be alleviated.

The irrigation farming has been a very good source of income for him and his siblings. On a good harvest period, he makes an income of not less than K200, 000 to K250, 000 and that he harvests three times a year apart from that he also rear livestock such as cattle, pigs and goats.

He said although he dropped out from school in form one to look after his siblings he is now able to pay school fees for his siblings who are attending different schools in the country.