In the leafy Ngalazuka Village in Dowa District, Moses Banda proudly watches his sunflower crop gently tremble to a sweeping breeze.
These are no ordinary sunflowers, but an early-maturing and high-yielding variety born of years of scientific experiments.
“I planted my sunflower using technologies provided to me through the extension officer,” Banda says, beaming with pride. “I’m told this variety came from Chitedze Research Station. I had been looking for this seed for years, and now it’s finally in my field. I’ll be making my own cooking oil soon.”
Banda’s story is a snapshot of a larger transformation sweeping through Malawi’s agriculture sector, where most technologies discovered and certified by State-funded agricultural research stations are awaiting takers.
Over 200 certified technologies that promise bumper yields and higher profits are now ready for adoption, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
They range from improved seeds to nano fertilisers, irrigation systems and innovations to reduce post-harvest losses, estimated at 30 percent annually.
These technologies are not just concepts on paper, says Alfred Mwenifumbo, controller of agricultural extension and technical services in the Ministry of Agriculture.
“They have been tested and approved by the Agriculture Technology Clearing Committee, so they are ready for deployment. Our goal now is to get as many farmers as possible on board,” he says.
Government has intensified efforts to bring the piling innovations closer to the farmers who need them most to beat hunger and poverty amid climate change, shrinking land size and loss of soil fertility.
The Ministry of Agriculture, with support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad), has put the rollout of local innovations at the core of the second phase of the Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Programme (Sapp II).
The programme is financing demonstration megafarms in Dowa districts, Lilongwe, Balaka and Mzimba, where farmers can see the technologies in action.
“These farms are like open classrooms where farmers see the new ideas bearing fruit,” says Mwenifumbo. “When farmers see for themselves the difference these technologies make; they are more likely to adopt them.”
Sapp II country coordinator Rex Baluwa says the breakthroughs in science and technology can help address challenges farmers encounter at various stage of the value chain—from production to market.
“Technology only makes sense if it answers a farmer’s question about productivity and profitability,” he states. “I’m glad that the farmers’ response has been overwhelmingly positive, especially when they see the results in the field.”
The standout innovations include nano fertiliser where nutrients are encapsulated or coated within nanomaterials to enable controlled release and improved nutrient uptake by plants. A foliar spray, the new fertiliser delivers essential nutrients directly to a plant’s leaves, allowing for quick absorption and targeting specific nutrient needs.
Farmers say it is amazing that nano fertiliser boosts crop growth and yields without needing to be applied to the soil.
This is part of a suite of tools aimed at increasing efficiency and reducing reliance on expensive farm inputs.
The results are visible as fields once associated with poor yields now produce bumper harvests.
As a result, farmers are no longer just growing food, but getting surplus for sale, which helps them build resilience to hunger and other effects of climate change.
Ifad country representative Bernadette Mukonyora says the excitement from farmers like Banda signals a shift in mindset.
“It is encouraging to see this enthusiasm. It tells us that smallholder farmers are eager for change. But we must support them with consistent investment in agricultural research and rural infrastructure,” she says.
As climate change continues to disrupt farming seasons and lower yields, Ifad is supporting efforts to expand access to irrigation technologies that assure farmers at least three harvests a year.
Back in Ngalazuka, Banda says the future looks promising.
He states: ”Before, we used to depend on luck as the rainfall pattern was unpredictable and improved seed was hard to get. Now, we’re farming with confidence because we have technologies that guarantee us bumper yields despite the changing climate.”
