By Alfred Liwewe
Village Savings Groups under the Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) in Nkhata Bay District are turning to livestock farming as a means to boost household incomes and strengthen community resilience.
Speaking during a monitoring visit on Wednesday in Chintheche, Treasurer of Chimbele Katawa Savings Group, Given Fatchi, disclosed that the group has saved approximately MK650,000.00 and plans to invest the funds in pig farming as a group business.
“We chose pig farming because it offers quick returns and there is strong market demand. Our goal is to grow the group business and eventually, members will branch out into individual enterprises,” he said.
He added that their savings come from wages earned through government social protection programs including the Social Cash Transfer and the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Program.
“Through this, we hope to increase our household incomes and afford things like school fees for our children. We plan to purchase the pigs in October this year and are appealing for government support in capacity building to help us manage the livestock properly,” he added.Secretary for Gomo Savings Group in the same area, Matafali Manda, said their group is planning to invest in goat farming after saving over MK800, 000.00 through shares and expressed optimism to excel considering goats are resilient to disease and easy to manage.
In his remarks, District Community Development Officer for Nkhata Bay, Jacob Moloko commended COMSIP for its partnership with government in building the capacity of village savings groups to pursue income-generating activities.
He emphasized that these efforts are helping beneficiaries to better utilize funds received from government social safety net programs.
“As a council, we regularly monitor these groups to understand their progress, support their decision-making processes, and assess how effectively they are saving and investing,” he said.
Moloko expressed satisfaction with the ongoing shift toward livestock farming, stating that livestock production in the district is currently low, so these efforts will not only boost household incomes but also improve nutrition among community members.
He therefore assured the groups of continued support from the government, including linkage to technical officers who can help them succeed in livestock management.
“From our interactions with the groups, many participants are already reaping the benefits of joining village banks by having access to loans. Some have improved their housing, while others have ventured into personal businesses. We hope this positive trend continues,” he added.
