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| The Ministry
of Health in collaboration with the National AIDS Commission (NAC),
development partners and civil society conducted a nationwide HIV
and AIDS testing campaign July 17-22. The U.S. Embassy, Centers for
Disease Control (CDC), USAID and its implementing partners supported
HIV Testing and Counseling (HCT) Week by assisting with planning,
logistics, counseling and testing services and by providing monitoring
and supervision at the national and district levels. Read
more... |
Launched on February 23rd in Mangochi in
Southern Malawi, President Mutharika unveiled the country's aquaculture
initiative based on the USAID-supported COMPASS II project. The fisheries
sector in Malawi is one of the most important both in terms of economic
impact and food security. Fisheries contribute 4% of GDP to the national
economy, employing more than 450,000 people in fishing, fish trading,
and the provision of other goods and services used by fishing communities
and the commercial fishing fleet operators. There are about 48,000
traditional fishermen in Malawi. The government estimates that 3,000
fish farmers own 7,000 fishponds scattered around the country, producing
only 500 tons of fish annually.
Approximately
20% of the country’s land surface is freshwater, including Lakes
Malawi, Malombe, Chilwa, Chiuta, and Kazuni, and several major river
systems: Shire, Linthipe, Bua, South and North Rukuru, and Songwe.
These lakes and rivers produced 80,000 metric tons of fish in the
1970s. At that time, per capita consumption was 14 kilograms per year.
More recent government data show the total fish supply declining to
50,000 tons per year. This, in conjunction with an increasing population
has lead to a 4.3 kilograms per capita annual consumption. Scientists
have estimated annual fish yields from lakes and rivers in Malawi
to be 78,000 metric tons, only 80% of total demand. Read
more...
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Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum
visited Central and Southern Malawi from November 24 to December 2,
accompanied by Ambassador Eastham and USAID Acting Mission Director
Mary Lewellen. She visited projects sponsored by Catholic Relief Services
and World Food Programme as well as health facilities in Malawi.
Congresswoman McCollum toured the Chitsanzo Milk Bulking Group dairy
cooperative (MBG) in the Dedza district during her tour, and praised
its "exemplary entrepreneurship." McCollum hailed local
dairy entrepreneurship and described it as an appropriate way to alleviate
poverty and ensure food and nutrition security. She commented to the
press that Malawians were clearly ready for economic opportunities
to improve their livelihoods. Chitsanzo
MBG is one of the dairy cooperatives established by Lands O’
Lakes with financial support from USAID. Land O’ Lakes supports
dairy cooperatives in Malawi to increase rural household incomes
through managing high-productivity enterprises, while improving
the quality and affordability of dairy products on the local market.
“These farmers will not only feed their families but will
also be less dependent upon maize as the sole source of food for
their families” said McCollum.
Congresswoman McCollum sits on the International
Relations committee in the House, and is particularly interested
in working to promote effective U.S. leadership in confronting the
AIDS pandemic, reducing poverty and hunger in Africa and improving
the status and women and children’s health around the world.
During her visit, she toured Mchinji, Mwanza, Blantyre, Lilongwe,
Dedza and Chikwawa districts. Representative McCollum was accompanied
by her Chief of Staff, Bill Harper, a returned Peace Corps Volunteer
who lived in Mchinji in central Malawi.
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P.O. Box 30455
Lilongwe 3
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Tel: +265-1-772-455
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