Social Cash Transfer Programme beneficiaries in Mzimba District have acquired skills in making Mbeya fertiliser to help them access affordable farm inputs.
The training, held on Thursday in Traditional Authority Mtwalo, is part of the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-Gear) project, funded by the European Union and the Government of Ireland through Unicef.
Speaking during the session, Creccom programme officer Chikumbutso Chikuni, whose organisation is implementing the initiative, said many households cannot afford commercial fertiliser, now selling at about K160 000 per bag.
He said Mbeya fertiliser, which blends a small amount of inorganic fertiliser with locally available materials, offers a cheaper alternative that can help farmers maintain production and improve food security.
“With as little as 10 kilogrammes of chemical fertiliser, a household can produce a bag of Mbeya fertiliser to apply in their field,” said Chikuni.
He said the initiative, which targets social cash transfer beneficiaries in the district, also promotes savings groups, financial literacy and small-scale business skills.
Embombeni agriculture extension development officer Chikondi Munthali said Mbeya fertiliser allows farmers to produce more farm inputs.
“When applied correctly, Mbeya fertiliser improves soil fertility and boosts maize yields without overusing chemical inputs. Farmers who follow the recommended mix and timing are already seeing bigger harvests,” she said.
A beneficiary Tamara Mkandawire of Ezekiah Jere Village said her maize harvest rose to about 40 bags per acre after switching to Mbeya fertiliser.
