Posted on July, 20, 2018 at 10:33 am
Written by Sam Majamanda
Phalombe, July 19, 2018: Phalombe District Agricultural Development Office has initiated a manure making programme that will see over 23, 000 farmers in the district producing and applying manure in their farms, Malawi News Agency (Mana) has established.
The programme would among other things see farmers becoming resilient to climate change by improving soil fertility. Phalombe Senior Assistant Officer for Land Resources Conservation, James Gonambali said through all the district’s extension planning areas (EPAs) the agriculture sector has trained over 23, 000 farmers in the process of manure production as one way of fighting climate change and improving food security.
“Currently our farmers are making manure in their farms and backyards in preparation for the next growing season and we are very sure that at least 90 percent of them will do well in manure production, a thing that will assist us to mitigate effects of climate change,” he said.
Gonambali added that, “Apart from the 23, 000 farmers that are making organic manure, 13, 768 other farmers are in livestock manure production, hence a speedy increase in the production of compost manure.”
“In addition, we encourage organic manure making since it helps the soil to retain moisture and fertility because maize stalks, animal dung, water, ash and other green vegetable matters, remain in the soil for a long period when applied,” the officer said. One of the farmers, James Matabwa from Mtengo Village in Traditional Authority (TA) Mkhumba expressed optimism that his farming for the next growing season would be cheaper than last year when he solely relied on inorganic fertilizers.
He explained that for the past years his harvest has dwindled as a result of drought, adding that application of inorganic fertilizer to his maize crop led to wilting.
“According to practical lessons that I have acquired from agriculture experts, I am sure that even in times of drought my farm produce will still thrive,” Matabwa observed. A tour Mana conducted through villages around Phalombe district cannot be short of sights of mounds of manure in farms.
Phalombe is highly affected by the three main types of climate change related disasters in form of droughts, dry spells and flash floods.
Source: Malawi News Agency (MANA Online)