Grow drought resistant crops, FUM tells farmers

Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has urged farmers in the country to prioritise growing drought resistant and early maturing crop varieties to mitigate the impact of the dry spells.

FUM president Manes Nkhata said in an interview on Thursday that the recent dry spells will significantly affect crop yield.

She underscored the importance of farmers seizing the opportunity to plant crops with shorter maturity period in view of the resumption of rains after a long period of dry spells.

Said Nkhata: “We encourage farmers to adopt soil and water conservation techniques and to utilise organic fertilisers in the coming season.

“For the current season, farmers must capitalise on the residual moisture by cultivating crops such as potatoes, cassava, peas and sorghum to make the most of the prevailing rains.”

She assured farmers that the sudden transition in weather poses minimal risk to crops, noting that the rains will particularly benefit crops at critical growth stages requiring adequate moisture.

Assessing the impact of the recent rainfall on drought-affected crops, agricultural expert Leonard Chimwaza explained that the outcome depends on the growth stage of the crops before the dry spells.

He said some crops are more vulnerable to damage and will benefit from the recent rainfall.

Said Chimwaza: “Dry spells have adversely affected the maize crop at different growth stages. In areas where maize was at the tasseling stage, yields are expected to be severely compromised due to insufficient moisture.

“However, in regions where maize was still at the initial growth stages, the rainfall offers hope for crop recovery and potential yield improvement.”

He, therefore, advised farmers to implement agricultural practices and interventions aimed at maximising positive effects of rainfall on crop growth and productivity.

Meanwhile, FUM is conducting assessments to evaluate the impact of the dry spells.