The government has approved the use of organic fertilisers such as Mbeya, which has been gaining popularity among farmers across the country.
Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has told journalists that the move is part of ongoing efforts by the government to address the problem of overdependence on chemical fertilisers amid rising prices.
The government has been providing subsidies under the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to ensure vulnerable households access fertiliser and other inputs such as seeds to achieve food security at household level.
Kawale has said that authorisation of the use of locally produced fertiliser will make it possible for many Malawians to access quality and affordable products.
“Our Agricultural Technology Clearing Committee has approved the use of different locally produced fertilisers and those that can be imported at a cheap price as we are moving away from overdependence on chemical fertiliser.
“We have also used nanotechnologies to produce highly effective liquid fertilisers while other new technologies will be released later this year, all this to ensure all Malawians access quality fertiliser to improve yield,” Kawale said.
He then reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that agricultural research institutions have adequate funding to develop new technologies that will aid farming and improve yield.
Kawale also expressed concern over the three years it takes research institutions to finish research and introduce new things on the market.
“We need to use technologies at our disposal such as greenhouses to lessen the time it takes to develop new technologies. Instead of using years, we can start using circles of let’s say three months, to develop new tools for our farmers,” Kawale said.
Bvumbwe Research Station Manager Margaret Chiipanthenga said the station is important to the country’s agricultural productivity.
“But the challenge is that most of the equipment that we are using is outdated and we are also short on skilled staff including scientists,” Chiipanthenga said.
Currently, a 50 kg bag of NPK fertiliser is going at over K100, 000.
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