Blantyre Agricultural Development Division (Bladd) has advised farmers in Neno District to embrace integrated farming in the wake of climate change to achieve food security.
Bladd programme manager Annily Msukwa said this on Friday at Matembe Cooperative in Senior Chief Mlauli’s area during an agriculture field day held under the theme ‘Integrated farming, key to sustainable food, income and nutrition security’.
She said by combining multiple agricultural activities such as growing different crops and rearing animals, farmers are assured of a good harvest as crops thrive in different conditions.
“A lot of crops under Blantyre Agricultural Development Division have been affected by dry spells in the just-ended growing season, but livestock is doing well, that is why we need to practise integrated farming to have something to rely on,” said Msukwa.
She thanked Umodzi Consulting, which is working with 14 cooperatives, for encouraging homestead farming in the district.
Umodzi Consulting director of business development Frank Mkumba said the organisation, through a $4.5 million (about K7 billion) funding from Helmsley Charitable Trust through the United States African Development Foundation, is implementing a three-year Livelihood Improvement Programme in Neno by working with 14 cooperatives.
He said the programme has reached out to 4 217 farmers and distributed 2 877 drip kits, 8 112 chickens and 597 goats to 199 farmers on a pass on arrangement.
Mkumba said the project seeks to address the socio-economic, food and nutritional challenges in Neno.
Senior Chief Mlauli encouraged the communities to adopt integrated farming practices considering that the area is prone to drought.
He said with integrated farming, Neno could become a food basket for the Southern Region.
Matembe Cooperative Producers Limited chairperson Mighty Feremu said the project is helpful.
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