NGO touts new farming methods

Tiyeni, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has urged farmers in Lilongwe District to embracing new farming technologies to realise bumper yield.

The organisation’s country director Isaac Chavula said this on Friday at Mkoma Primary School in Traditional Authority Chimutu during field day activities.

He said: “Times have changed because of climate change and farmers now should start cultivating in a different way.

“We are championing deep bed farming method. We want farmers to start managing soil and water because deep bed farming retains rainy water and controls erosion.”

Chavula said it was interesting that many farmers in the district have embraced new agricultural technologies.

“We have seen farmers who used the technology get eight tonnes per hectare. We have also seen other crops such as groundnuts, tobacco and soya doing well using deep bed farming,” he said

Ministry of Agriculture deputy director for land resources conservation Gilbert Mponda thanked the NGO for the initiative.

He said new farming technologies will help farmers to respond positively to climate change.

Mponda said it was encouraging that the farming technologies have brought positive results to farmers.

He said the ministry will roll out the methods to other districts.

Speaking on behalf of other farmers who benefitted from the initiative, Cosmas Mwale said if many farmers embraced the technology, they would realise bumper yields.

“We have been working hard for a long time, but we could not harvest enough to feed our families. However, the new technology has enabled us to get bumper harvest,” he said