By Kondwani Magombo, MANA
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa on Thursday made a commitment to sponsor the education of a 21-year-old farmer, Falles Frank, from Mangochi as a way of empowering the youth.
The minister made the commitment during a Machinga Agricultural Development Division (ADD) Field Day in Mangochi where he appreciated a number of farming interventions.
Frank’s maize field was the first to be appreciated at Tilimbike Cluster in Group Village Head Mtalimanja, T.A. Mponda.
The youthful farmer impressed the minister with how she has achieved bumper yield using new agricultural technologies.
Like most members under the cluster, Frank used locally made composite manure (commonly known as mbeya) made from a small portion of chemical fertilizer and ash among other materials.
The minister’s commitment came when he asked the young farmer if she was in school, but Frank said she had dropped out at Form Four level due to lack of resources, hence her turning to farming.
“I’m very impressed with the effort that this girl has made in attempt to make her life better.
As government, we encourage the youth to be involved in economic activities and we are striving to ensure that no youth is left behind,” said Nankhumwa.
“Falles, you’re going back to school and I’m committing myself to paying your school fees up to college,” he added amid hand clapping and cheering from the members of the community.
The youthful farmer told Mana she was very excited with the offer that the minister had made and that she could not wait to be back in class.
“I have always wanted to go back to school up to college, but I’ve always dismissed the idea thinking of how much that would cost me,” she said.
Frank hails from Mtafu Village, GVH Mpinganjira in Senior Chief Mponda in the district. She is a member of Tilimbike Cluster Club.
