Rumphi farmers commend conservation agriculture

Farmers in Rumphi have commended conservation agriculture championed by Synod of Livingstonia’s Development Department.

Speaking on Friday during a farm visit, Florida Kasambara, a farmer, said she harvested more maize compared to the previous season.

“I now have enough to feed my family,” she said.

The department’s programme manager Lameck Kayira said they are doing a three-year research in Mhunju on the correlation between new agriculture technologies and fall armyworm.

“The project is going towards meeting what the department anticipated, a position that will be confirmed by the researchers,” he said.

Kayira said the final report on the research might be out by September.

Lunyangwa Research Station  Soil Department agriculture research officer Cornelius Chisambi said researchers are now compiling and analysing the data which they received from farmers to see if conservation agriculture controls fall armyworm.

Rumphi District Council crop officer Patrick Lungu said besides observing that conservation agriculture led to minimal attack of fall armyworms, farmers observed that maize stalks decay also produced manure which helped in increase production.

The department is implementing the project in partnership with Lunyangwa Research Station and University of Livingstonia.