Conservation agriculture saves farmers in Karonga
Farmers who adopted conservation agriculture in Karonga are all smiles as their maize crop is doing well amid prolonged dry spells in the lakeshore district.
During a media tour of three extension planning areas (EPAs) of Vinthukutu, Nyungwe II and Mpata organised by Karonga District Agricultural Development Division (ADD) on Saturday to appreciate the impact of the dry spells, it was learnt that some maize crops were wilting.
Daniel Mkandawire, a lead farmer from Chizumba Village, Traditional Authority Wasambo, said they adopted conservation agriculture which involves the use of compost manureas well as making contour and box ridges to retain moisture.
“I am now expecting to get a bumper harvest from my garden,” he said.
In contrast, a maize field lying few metres away from Mkandawire’s garden is affected by the dry spell.
The garden’s owner Ella Mkorongo said she would not harvest anything from her three gardens.
“I don’t know what to do because even cassava cuttings are scarce in this area,” she said.
In Nyungwe II EPA, Chuma Chithu Farmer Field School members said their maize crop is also doing fine, courtesy of conservation agriculture.
The club’s treasurer Tumaini Sanga said the escalating fertiliser prices compelled them to adopt conservation agriculture.
Nyungwe EPA agricultural extension development coordinator Florence Nthara said people who adopted climate smart agriculture technologies were likely to get good harvests.
Karonga ADD chief land resource conservation officer Kufasi Shela said it was high time farmers adopted modern farming technologies.
She said: “Farming is an investment that requires innovation and diversification. In the prevailing prolonged dry spells that have gone beyond the forecasted period, farmers that embraced conservation agriculture will harvest enough for sale and consumption.
“We urge farmers to choose from land management technologies such as soil and water conservation, contour and aligned ridges, use of khola, mbeya and bokashi manure as well as planting healthy seeds with early rains.”
