Indian High Commissioner Amararam Gujar has urged farmers in Salima District to embrace modern agriculture technologies to achieve food security.
Speaking on Tuesday in Chipoka in the district when Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) and an Indian company called Adventure Resources Limited introduced Nano Urea Liquid fertilisers to local farmers, the envoy emphasised the need for farmers to work hard to end hunger.
Said Gujar: “Let farmers use this kind of fertiliser to realise bumper yields. If they think that it is a good technology, they will continue with it.
| Lovemore Khomo
“But if they think that it is not viable and not yielding a good result, then no one is forcing them.”
SFFRFM director of commercial services Ali Chiwoko explained to the farmers about the new technology and advised them to get original inputs and commodities to avoid being duped.
“We encourage farmers to embrace this new technology, in form of liquid fertilisers which has the potential to end hunger in this country, only when it is adopted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Salima Agriculture Development Division programmes manager Benson Sumani confirmed that the product went through all testing processes and farmers can buy it in all corners of the country.
“Our committee in the Ministry of Agriculture tested this commodity and it was approved. So, farmers can use it,” he said.
One of the farmers, Letina Kaphinda applauded the introduction the liquid fertilisers which they have used in a demonstration garden and has shown positive results.
“I encourage my fellow farmers to embrace this fertiliser,” she said.
Kaphinda said she will also practise climate-smart agriculture to realise more yield.
In recent years, Malawians have grappled with rising cost of fertilisers, which has affected crop production.
