Tales of success under Afikepo Project in Salima

United Nations’ Food and  Agriculture Organization (FAO) says nutrition statuses of members in the area of Traditional Authority Kambalame in Salima district has improved, thanks to the European Union (EU)’s funded AFIKEPO project.

FAO’s manager for Salima district, Rabecca Kadazi has told Nyasa Times that the area is now able to practice diversified subsistence agriculture and has sanitation structures among other things, which are keeping them safe from waterborne diseases and malnutrition.

“FAO is very happy with milestones that AFIKEPO has been able to achieve at this point because when you look at capacities of the communities we have been supporting, they have improved”, says Kadazi.

She adds that at the onset of the project in 2017, there was low understanding of issues of sanitation, diversification and care group activities.

“But reaching this far, people are able to know how to diversify their diet, they are also able to work on their sanitation by having all the sanitary structures we are promoting as a project because we are encouraging each household to have dishrags and hand washing facilities”, she clarifies.

The AFIKEPO project seeks to address chronic nutrition in Malawi by supporting the increase and diversification of dietary intake of safe and nutritious foods to achieve optimal nutrition for women and childbearing age, adolescent girls, infants and young children.

In his remarks, Acting Extension Development Officer (EDO) for Chipoka Extension Planning Area in Salima district, Boston Phiri concurred with Kadazi on nutrition levels in the area in the past years as compared to now.

He says milestones made under the AFIKEPO project are worth celebrating by looking at where people are coming from.

Meanwhile, Village Headman Chilungo from T/A Kambalame has described the improvement in health status of his subjects as a catalyst for development in the area.

He has thanked stakeholders in the project for collaboration that has seen it producing desired fruits.

“When we rolled out the AFIKEPO project, we had some few challenges but we later understood and adopted it. I therefore have to thank each one of them for their efforts applied”, he said.