This year, 2021 is the year PRIDE plans to commence construction works of the irrigation schemes. It is expected that four schemes namely: Matoponi and Mlooka in Zomba, Lingoni in Machinga and Nkhulambe in Phalombe have already gone through tendering stage with evaluation and other procurement processes aimed at identifying the contractor still underway.
The US$80.4million PRIDE project, which is working in 12 districts, plans to construct 16 irrigation schemes by end of 2023.
Processes leading to identification of contractors and actual construction works, are at different levels with a set of five schemes – Marko and Mafinga Hills in Chitipa, Mzenga in Nkhata Bay, Chipofya at Bolero in Rumphi and Dwambazi in Nkhotakota at design stage. These schemes are expected to go into tendering once designs are completed.
PRIDE is targeting September or latest October this year as the month to commence construction of these schemes. And with a construction period of one year, the mentioned schemes are expected to be commissioned by October of 2022”.
Pride is a seven year irrigation development programme aimed at developing 5400 hectares of irrigated land and 12,300 hectares of rain-fed land to benefit 19,500 households translating to about a million individual beneficiaries.