Farmers in Kasungu District have embraced the use of liquid fertilisers and modern farming practices to improve their crop yield amid climate change shocks.
Speaking in an interview on Monday, a farmer Anne Nkhoma from Chikoma Village, Traditional Authority Chulu in the district said the liquid fertiliser was affordable.
“We are worried about the high prices of fertiliser, as such, we will turn to the new product. However, to ensure maximum productivity, I will also practise modern farming practices,” she said.
On Friday, Smallholder Farmers Fertiliser Revolving Fund of Malawi (SFFRFM) introduced the fertiliser to farmers at Lisasadzi Extension Planning Area (EPA) in the district during a field day.
In his remarks, SFFRFM regional business manager Wellington Banda said the liquid Nano Urea fertiliser was environmentally-friendly.
He said: “It is a game-changer to the Malawi agriculture sector. The innovation is crucial as the country does not have enough fertiliser.
“We believe that Nano Urea will help us as a country because farmers will afford to buy this product which is cheaper than the conventional fertiliser. Nano Urea is sold at K85 000 per bottle.”
Kasungu Agricultural Development Division (ADD) programmes manager Yusufu Shaibu commended the innovation, saying the fertiliser is not bulky and is easy to use compared to granular fertiliser that needs a lot of space and transportation.
“It is a good brand of fertiliser in terms of soil health. Since it is foliar fertiliser, it is not applied to the soil unlike other fertiliser which leaves some particles into the soil that can tamper soil health,” he said.
The introduction of Nano Urea could help ease pressure on the country’s struggling agricultural sector which has been affected by surging fertiliser prices driven by global market disruptions and forex shortages
