Mangochi, March 6, 2020:Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, Kondwani Nankhumwa has urged farmers to embrace new technologies to harvest more yields in the wake of climate change challenges.
He made the call Thursday at Namiyasi Residential Training Centre (RTC) in Mangochi at the end of Machinga Agricultural Development Division (ADD) Field Day where the Minister toured and appreciated various agricultural activities in five sites.
Nankhumwa said he was impressed to note that most farmers in the district, in particular, and generally in Machinga ADD, had adopted new farming technologies that are beating the existing climate change effects.
“From the sites we have visited I have seen that the farmers are absorbing the new farming technologies such as use of locally made composite fertilizer called mbeya, and other technologies such as conservation agriculture: this is very impressive,” he said.
The Minister urged the farmers to diversify their farming with livestock saying the animals play a crucial role not only as source of food but as source of manure for the crops.
Nankhumwa said time had come for people in the country to take farming seriously and not just as a source of food.
“This is no longer time to practice agriculture just for food: we need to practice agriculture for business because there is a lot of money in farming business,” he said and added:
“Those people who have land near water resources get ready, government is engaging technical experts to train you in irrigation farming,” he added
The Minister appealed to ADDs in the country to work closely with the civil society organizations with interest in agriculture as one way of enhancing new farming technologies and absorption of the same.
He visited two sites in Nansenga EPA and three sites in Mbwadzulu EPA where among others, he appreciated crop diversification and climate smart agriculture practices; banana and tomato commercial farming.
Nankhumwa appreciated Goat Pass-on programme and improved Khola, a project being implemented by the Malawi Disaster Reduction Programme Project (MDRPP); and Farmer Field School supported activities at Namiyasi Residential Training Centre (RTC).
The Field Day was held under the theme Agriculture Enterprise Diversification, Commercialization and Partnerships: Key to Sustainable Food, Nutrition and Income Security.
