With chemical fertiliser prices out of reach for most smallholder farmers, many have turned to organic alternatives as a cheaper option. But soil scientists and industry players say organic products on their own are unlikely to close the country’s persistent food gap and could even make matters worse if left unregulated.
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) soil science professor Patson Nalivata said in an interview that while organic fertilisers play an important role in restoring soil health, stressed that they cannot meet the full nutrient demands of staple crops such as maize, which feeds the majority of Malawians.
“Organic fertilisers are not consistent in nutrient content because they do not contain fixed primary nutrients,” Nalivata said.
“Most organic products contain as little as two percent nitrogen compared with 46 percent in chemical urea. With such a difference, you cannot expect good harvests because crops are deprived of required nutrients.”
Nalivata cautioned against portraying organic fertilisers as a silver bullet while chemical fertilisers are portrayed as soil-destroying. He recommended blending organic and inorganic fertilisers to improve both soil health and yields, citing Bokashi-style products that combine organic matter with targeted inorganic inputs.
The Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) acknowledges the challenge of regulating organic fertilisers.
MBS deputy director of quality assurance Demester Kumvenji said the bureau is developing guidelines for a range of organic products and is monitoring markets to protect farmers from fake or substandard fertilisers.
He added that MBS is currently on the ground monitoring the market to protect farmers from fake fertilisers.
Alifosina Banda from Zulu Village in Traditional Authority Njewa in Lilongwe said she stopped using chemical fertiliser three years ago because prices were unattainable and the products were often mixed with fake fertilisers.
Banda, who uses manure said although organic fertiliser is cheaper, the output is slightly lower compared to what she harvested when using chemical fertiliser.
“With the high prices, I can only use organic fertiliser. The soil looks better and holds water but the maize cobs are smaller than when I used chemical fertiliser. Nevertheless, this is the only option I have. I produce the fertiliser myself and apply it which is cheaper than buying,” said Banda.
One of the organic fertiliser producers in Lilongwe, Clement Taonani admitted that the market is flooded with unregulated organic fertilisers that may pose a threat to the country’s soils and food security.
Taonani, who produces biochar fertiliser, said the process of producing a well-balanced organic fertilizer requires rigorous procedures and careful examination.
“The biggest challenge in Malawi is standardisation. Most organic fertilisers produced in the country are not regulated because the regulator lacks international standards. Only a few producers follow ISO standards in fertiliser production.
“Our organic fertiliser is blended with chemical fertiliser. This blending process is often missing in most products. It is not just about mixing, but about how well the blending is done. Only a few producers in Malawi can do this properly. As a result, we expose our soils to alien substances that instead of improving soil health and yields, do the opposite. Farmers need to be careful,” said Taonani.
When contacted for comment, director of research in the Ministry of Agriculture Grace Kaudzu asked for more time to respond.
However, the immediate past director of extension services in the Ministry of Agriculture Alfred Mwenefumbo, admitted that regulating organic fertilisers produced at the local level remains difficult.
Speaking as an agricultural scientist, Mwenefumbo said there are regulations that allow producers operating on a commercial scale to be assessed for fertiliser composition.
He said Chitedze Research Station assesses such fertilisers and if found suitable, they are approved for sale on the market.
“Every agricultural technology acceptable in Malawi must be cleared by the Agriculture Technology Clearing Committee. When someone wants to introduce an organic fertiliser in Malawi, it must undergo trials for at least three seasons at Chitedze Research Station.
“The trials focus on organic matter composition and crop effects. After the trials, the findings are sent to MBS for further verification before the product is released onto the market. However, regulating fertilisers produced for small-scale use remains difficult. Producers are mostly given advice rather than being regulated,” said Mwenefumbo.
In recent years, many farmers have turned to compost manure, animal dung and plant residues as the cost of inorganic fertiliser has risen and access through subsidy programmes has become uncertain.
A 50 kilogramme bag of NPK fertiliser is currently selling at up to K180 000 while Urea is priced at around K165 000.
This contrasts with organic fertiliser which sells at around K50 000 or less for a 50 kilogramme bag.
Development organisations have also encouraged organic practices as part of climate-smart agriculture.
