Environment

Farmers urged to embrace sustainable agriculture

Irrigation farming allows for multiple harvests
Irrigation farming allows for multiple harvests

Smallholder farmers in the country have been encouraged to embrace sustainable agricultural practices which include the use of manure and irrigation farming to increase crop productivity at all levels.

Director of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Alexander Bulirani, said this on Thursday at Zimbayuda Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Nankumba in Mangochi during the launch of manure utilisation and irrigation campaign under Machinga Agricultural Development Division which covers Zomba, Balaka, Machinga and Mangochi.

“It is important for farmers to adopt modern methods of farming to reduce fertiliser expenses and also yield more from a small piece of land,” said Bulirani.

Bulirani observed that irrigation is a timely intervention in counteracting effects of climate change such as erratic rainfall patterns, droughts and perennial floods among others.

He said compost manure has a manifold of advantages, citing retention of moisture in soil, adding soil fertility, enhancing aeration and improving soil texture, which are essential to crop production.

According to him, there was high potential for farmers to export their crop produce because many countries are searching for food crops produced without the aid of any organic elements.

“I can challenge you that many countries in Europe are eyeing more non-genetically modified crops,” Bulirani added.

He, however, appealed to irrigation farmers to avoid counterfeit pesticides to avoid endangering people’s lives. He also called on the farmers to protect water sources by planting trees in river banks, considering that irrigation farming thrives in wetlands.

On this note, the Bulirani said government does not intend to withdraw the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp) by encouraging farmers to make and apply compost manure, saying the two were meant to complement each other in crop production.

Deputy programme manager for Machinga ADD, Adreck Banda, said at least 50 percent of the 835 583 farming households in the division had embraced manure application and are practising irrigation farming.

T/A Nankumba asked the agriculture department to arrange for an exchange visit for farmers in the area to learn new skills from their counterparts across the country to effectively practise sustainable agriculture.

During the manure and irrigation farming campaign launch, some lead farmers were presented with bicycles as a motivation and to inspire more farmers to adopt modern methods of farming.

The launch was conducted under the theme ‘Manure utilisation and irrigation farming: key to sustainable production and climate change adaption’.

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One Comment

  1. The only way to move this nation forward is when we produce more than we can consume as a nation. If every household had more than enough year in tear out, then we could improve on food exports bringing in forex. Irrigation and commercial farming are the ways to go.

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