CP adopts new farming methods
Government has commended smallholder farmers in Chitipa for adopting new farming technologies.
On Sunday, Nelson Mataka, the head of Agriculture Sector-wide Approach Project (Aswap) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, commended the farmers for “overwhelmingly adopting sustainable farming techniques”.
threat to forests
He was speaking during field shows organised by Karonga Agriculture Development Division (Kradd) in Kameme on Sunday.
The delegation was stunned by crop fields where farmers grow finger millet on ridges—a departure from traditional shift agriculture whereby they cut and burn trees to make new fields for the millet used for brewing beer.
The slash-and-burn system has wiped out natural forests in the district.
Mataka praised the farmers for switching to new agricultural methods that improve food production and promote environment conservation.
Senior Chief Kameme was upbeat with sights of maize fields that confirm prospects of bumper harvests despite an outbreak of armyworms in the district.
Government and donor partners embarked on Aswap to maximise their agricultural production for improved food security and income levels. n
