Blantyre Agriculture Development Division (ADD) deputy programmes manager Geoffrey Maloni has emphasised that agriculture technologies have the potential to address food insecurity.
He said this on Thursday at Thuchira Residential Research Training Centre in Mulanje District during an inaugural meeting of the Malawi Alumni Association of China Agricultural University (CAU), where Malawian postgraduate students, currently studying at the institution, showcased interventions they implemented in communities to boost crop production.
“There are numerous technologies that Malawi can benefit from China. For example, in China they use high
plant population, manure and hybrid varieties as compared to Malawi. Therefore, if these technologies are adopted, it means the country will be able to have more yields,” said Maloni.
CAU vice-president Du Taisheng said 40 students from Malawi have been enrolled at the institution.
“The purpose is to train our students in the science and technology backyard. In the second year, they will return
to their country to do some experiment to improve the yield and the quality of the crops,” he said.
One of the students, Sylvester Panyani, from Kasungu District, said the initiative has transformed him from just being a student and to become a facilitator in agriculture through the China Agricultural University Sino-Africa programme.
He said the skills he acquired helped him to work with farmers from Risasadzi Residential Training Centre where they identified a challenge, designed a programme and conducted research to see what interventions can be applied to solve it.
Meanwhile, CAU has presented letters of admission to 14 young Malawians set to pursue their masters programme in agriculture, majoring in resource utilisation and plant protection starting from this month.
