Embrace modern farming practices, people told
Mzimba district senior land resources conservation officer Olive Nyalira-Kubwalo has urged people to adopt integrated catchment management practices.
She said this on Thursday at Kaumphu Primary School in the district during the launch of Integrated Catchment Management for Enhanced Climate Resilience and Improved Livelihoods Campaign.
Nyalira-Kubwalo said the campaign aims to support smallholder farmers in adopting sustainable land management practices that seek to build resilience and achieve sustainable food security systems.
“This campaign will encourage farmers to adopt practices to mitigate soil degradation as they are using different technologies to conserve soil and harvest water,” she said.
Nyalira-Kubwalo said since the practices were introduced last year, most farmers in Traditional Authority Chindi have realised bumper harvests.
Endindeni Ward councillor Dan Nkosi urged people in Chindindindi section of Bulala Extension Planning Area in Mzimba South to adopt catchment management activities to achieve food security.
“The approaches we have seen during the launch promise to not only address current challenges of low yields, but also build climate resilience among communities,” he said.
One of the farmers Wezzie Tembo commended the programme, saying she harvested more maize than the previous years.
“I tried the technologies and harvested 80 bags this year unlike the previous years when I could only get 30,” she said.
Mzimba Agriculture Office has trained farmers in manure-making and soil and water conservation practices.
Mzimba South District Agriculture Coordination Committee chairperson Black Kamwanza said the participation of farmers in catchment management activities showed that they were ready to learn modern approaches of agriculture.
