NEWS:

19 Jun, 2015


Official Launch of the Solar Irrigation Pump
Foundation for Irrigation and Sustainable Development (FISD), an organisation founded by some of Bunda alumni, has donated a solar irrigation pump worth MK 10 million to Bunda Farm.

Speaking on Friday during the handover ceremony, LUANAR Vice Chancellor, Professor George Kanyama Phiri hailed FISD for the donation saying it is pleasing to see former students giving back to the institution.

“You have made us proud for this good initiative and am sure that with this we will be able to go back to town to sell our produce,” said Professor Kanyama Phiri.

He said LUANAR would like to ensure that the farm produce enough proceeds as it used to be in the past when it could feed some UNIMA colleges.

“The farm was able to produce enough proceeds to supply to other UNIMA colleges, talk of beef, eggs, milk, fruits as well as vegetables,” said Professor Kanyama Phiri.

He said this started to decline with time but the most critical time was in 2009 when the motorised pump which was used was vandalised.

The Vice Chancellor urged the farm manager to ensure that the there is adequate security to protect the new pump from vandalism.

FISD Managing Director Frank Mwenechanya said as irrigation and water management specialists who were trained at Bunda, they decided to donate the solar irrigation pump as a thank you to the institution for the knowledge and skills that was imparted to them.

He said entrepreneurial course offered at Bunda enabled them to focus on self-employment rather than being employed saying the organisation currently has employed about 75 permanent staff, both graduates and technicians.

Mwenechanya further said the donated solar irrigation pump will be used in the next 25 years without problems.

“We decided to donate this pump because it’s cost effective since it will not require extra costs such as electricity,” said Mwenechanya.

Bunda farm operates as a viable commercial entity in order to generate funds for the college at the same time act as a training place for students.

Written By: Patricia Nkhoma Ngwale