Action for Sustainable Development (Asud) has launched a centre in Mzuzu to equip farmers and communities with knowledge and skills to tackle the growing challenges of climate change.
The Asud Centre for Innovation Climate-Smart Farming, established at Doroba on the outskirts of Mzuzu, will serve as a training and research hub for climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Speaking on Wednesday during the launch, Asud executive director Thomas Ngwira described knowledge and skills as the foundation of meaningful development.
“Knowledge and skills are essential for progress and without them, there can be no development. That is why Asud decided to establish a place where such capacities can be trained,” he said.
Ngwira said Asud will ensure that the centre remains a hands-on platform where farmers and institutions can learn, experiment and share knowledge that leads to long-term resilience.
He commended the Swiss-based organisation Ecosolidar for supporting the project.
Ecosolidar director André Affentranger said the centre aligns with the organisation’s priorities in agriculture, education and women’s empowerment.
“Agriculture has a lot to do with education as it requires teaching new methods
and techniques to adapt to climate change. We want to support communities to take ownership of their own development,” he said.
Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division programmes manager Anderson Chikomola said the centre will strengthen farmers’ capacity to adopt climate-smart technologies.
He noted that soil and water conservation, organic manure production and moisture retention techniques demonstrated at the facility could help farmers mitigate the effects of erratic rainfall.
“This centre is important for us because it will help farmers and extension workers gain practical experience with the technologies available in the country,” said Chikomola.
Established in 2021, the centre focuses on integrated catchment management, permaculture, waste management, livestock production, aquaculture and organic agriculture.
