Grow alternative crops—Bushiri

ECG-The Jesus Nation founder and philanthropist Prophet Shepherd Bushiri has advised Malawians to venture into drought-resistant crops such as cassava in the wake of the hunger situation in the country.

Speaking at Masasa Primary School in Mzuzu on Thursday when he donated 1 200 maize bags weighing 25 kilogramme each to food-insecure households, he said Malawians should grow other crops such as cassava for the country to be food-secure.

Said Bushiri: “People should go into other dimensions of crop production such as potatoes and cassava. We must not just rely on maize as when there is drought, the possibility of hunger is very high.”

He also advised the farming population to venture into irrigation agriculture.

Bushiri said he was worried about the hunger situation prevailing in the country.

“There is a serious catastrophe of hunger. No place we go is better than the other, this is a crisis. We are asking well-wishers and other stakeholders to support the nation,” he said.

Bushiri said he was targeting to reach out to a million people, but said currently he has supported 600 000 people.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Sub-Traditional Authority Thula of Nkhata Bay District, whose area borders Mzuzu City, said the hunger situation had reached alarming levels.

“Government recently provided maize to the people but it was insufficient because of the large population here. I thank Bushiri for his gesture, that is what true Christianity is about,” she said.

A December 2023 report by Famine Early Warning Systems Network said the hunger crisis in Malawi will likely go beyond the harvesting season due to adverse effects of the El Nino weather condition.