By Alick Mhango
KARONGA: In a bid to alleviate issues of inadequate livestock extension workers in Karonga, the Self Help Africa organization through it’s DISCOVER project has finally equip 56 community animal health workers in all five Traditional Authority with the knowledge and working materials.
Speaking during the distribution of materials on Friday, the district project coordinator responsible for livestock Frank Matchado said apart from building up resilient to the vulnerable farmers, the organization believes that the knowledge and materials given will boost up the number of livestock extension workers in the district.
According to him, the shortage of livestock extension workers in the district has jeopardized number of activities especially on the animal health because the area has number of domestic animals.
“Since 2012, we have educated and distributed working materials to 56 livestock lead farmers. This is because we noticed the problems that are here in the district on the issues of livestock especially due to inadequate extension workers as well as resources,” said Matchado.
“Besides that, the development is part of assisting government to achieve its goal and as I am talking we have today distributed materials like bicycles, gumboots, working kits, animal drugs and cooler boxes to 12 lead farmers complementing to 56 as we did to other 38 in the past,” added Matchado.
He further said “the organization has invested about 1,230,000 million Kwacha in the process includes both materials and two week training.”
In his remarks, Karonga Animal Health and Livestock Development Officer Halevy Kumwenda commended the organization for the decision saying “it has bail out of shortage of drugs in the district apart from shortage of workers who are 12 in number out of 36 intended.”
However, Kumwenda appealed to the trainees to work hand in hand with the livestock extension workers in order to speed up the process.
Martha Sichali one of the beneficiaries from Nyungwe in the area of Traditional Authority Mwilang’ombe assured the organization that they shall not disappoint them.
