Mbeya manure will improve yields—Maseko
Farmers in Zomba have been encouraged to adopt and compare conventional fertiliser to equally efficient Mbeya manure on maize and other crops grown.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Zomba-Changalume Grace Maseko made the call on Saturday during a field day which was organised by Millennium Villages Project (MVP) at Maera Irrigation Scheme in Senior Chief Mlumbe’s area in the district.
Mbeya manure derives its name from Tanzania’s town of Mbeya and comprises the mixture of 10 kilogrammes (kg) of conventional fertiliser, one tin of maize husks (madeya), a tin of chicken or pig manure besides half a tin of ash mixed in water. The mixture is left in a plastic bag to decompose and then dried for two days and then it is ready for application in the garden.
The parliamentarian hailed MVP for introducing Mbeya manure which she said is cheap for farmers to make as it uses locally available resources.
She said: “I make a plea to government to adopt this type of fertiliser as it might subsidise the budget allocated to farm inputs. This fertiliser will benefit the people and above all, it will increase yields per growing season and be able to sustain food security.”
In his remarks, MVP team leader Andrew Daudi said the main objective of the field day was to show the community the significance of using manure on crops instead of chemical fertilisers because it reduces soil erosion and improves crop yields.
“From a 50 kg bag of chemical fertiliser, farmers can produce five more extra bags if they use Mbeya fertiliser which is cheaper and is also environmental friendly,” he said.
