Small-scale farmers in Traditional Authority (T/A) Chiseka in Lilongwe District have found solace in crop diversification and rearing poultry such as quails.
With the impact of climate change affecting crop production, the farmers have embraced the use of manure under agro-forestry initiative to scale up productivity and to conserve the environment.
One of the farmers is Chimwemwe Mvula who grows different crops and rears quails to build resilience against the impact of climate change.
In her remarks on Tuesday during a visit to her MPH Farm under the Upscaling Agro-ecology and Networking in Malawi Project in T/A Chiseka, Lilongwe, she said agro-ecology initiatives transformed farmers’ socio-economic livelihoods.
“Despite droughts, widespread pests and other unfavourable conditions, we are harvesting more than enough. I also have crops and animals that I fall back on if one fails. This is necessary because weather patterns are not certain and crops do fail,” said Mvula.
Agreeing with Mvula, Participatory Ecological Land Use Management Malawi coordinator Nozgenji Wendy Bilima said the practices also improved food and nutrition security by supporting bumper harvests.
She said: “Agro-ecology is a climate-action tool for communities to adapt to the climate crisis.
“Effects of climate change threaten food systems, but these practices enhance resilience by restoring soil fertility, agro-forestry and conserve biodiversity.”
The agro-ecology project is running with financial support from the Bread for World and Trocaire in the district.
