By Innocent Chunga:
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) says there is an increase in the number of farmers who have adopted new farming technologies.
It cites conservation agriculture among the adopted technologies.
The organisation’s principal cropping systems agronomist, Christian Thierfelder, said, for instance, that 57 percent of farmers in Nkhotakota District had adopted interventions aimed at increasing crop productivity for the country to attain its food security goals.
Thierfelder said this after visiting farmers in Mwansambo Extension Planning Area (EPA), which is under Senior Chief Mwansambo, in Nkhotakota District.
The organisation, in partnership with Total Land Care, is implementing the Smart Agriculture Initiative in Mwansambo, Zidyana, Mphonde and Linga EPAs in the areas of Senior Chief Mwansambo, Mwadzama, Mphonde and Traditional Authority (TA) Malengachanzi in the lakeshore district.
“We are committed to continuing supporting farmers here because a large number of them have adopted conservation agriculture. For 20 years now, we have been working here and reaffirm our commitment to supporting the Malawi Government through the Ministry of Agriculture,” Thierfelder said.
Total Land Care Project Manager Richard Museka said the organisation would continue providing technical support to about 700 farmers in the district.
“We are encouraging farmers to practice conservation agriculture because a farmer expects sustainable crop production, unlike with conventional practices where yields tend to drop when the season is not good. The organisation will continue providing technical support for such new technologies in the district,” Museka said.
Meanwhile, one of the farmers under Mwansambo EPA, John Layitoni, commended the initiative, saying it has helped him achieve bumper yields this year despite experiencing dry spells in the area.
Farmers from Kasungu in the area of Senior Chief Chulu and others from Mzimba, Nkosi Khonsolo, who visited farmers in Mwansambo’s area, have since commended the initiative.
The research on new technologies, such as crop rotation and intercropping, which is being implemented in five countries, including Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, targets 160,000 farmers to enhance nutrition and household food security.
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