Mandimwi Irrigation Scheme

Mandimwi Irrigation Scheme is a gravity-fed irrigation type of farming. It is situated in Ntonda Extension Planning Area (EPA) under the Blantyre Agriculture Division (BADD). Located 8km West of Blantyre, Mandimwi Irrigation Scheme covers a total area of 10 hectares. In fact, it was an initiative of the community themselves after seeing the need to address food insecurity.

The community approached Asian Muslim Relief Aid (AMRA) in 2007 and subsequently, Mai Aisha Trust provided funding for the construction of the scheme with technical partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development.

The community themselves supported project by providing local available resources such as sand, bricks and quarry stones. As it stands today, Mandimwi Irrigation Scheme is fully operational with over 30 households benefiting from it.

A total of 10 hectares is being irrigated enabling the community harvest twice or thrice a year.

Improved Well-being

Three years down the line, the farmers enjoy abundant foods for consumption and extra more for sae. Among the success stories is that farmers can boast to having food throughout the year and have surplus to sell which enables them to send their children to school, buy clothes and other basic amenities.

Crops such as maize, chillies, tomatoes, bananas, paw paws and many other others are grown on this scheme. Besides crop farming, the scheme is also involved in fish farming which supplements both farm income and nutritional food supplements to the farmers and the communities around.