By Draxon Maloya
Lilongwe. (News of The South)- Despite several effects of climate change, Smallholder farmers in Mzimba-North district of Malawi have quickly adapted to new agricultural technologies that have improved the crop in their fields. This is an assurance of a bumper yield for the year.
This good news was disclosed at the Agriculture field day which was organized by the District Agriculture Development Office (Dado) in relationship with the District Agriculture Extension Coordination Committee (Daecc) at Zombwe and Bwengu
in Mzimba-North agricultural district.
The agricultural displays were mounted in twelve farming fields under Mzimba-North Dado where all farmers expressed satisfaction with new agricultural technologies they have been trained under various programs.
In his remarks Traditional Authority Jalavikuwa who presided over the field visits as guest of honour underscored the need for the farmer to adapt to new technologies that do not fail regardless of little amount of rainfall which is one of the effects of climate change.
“With the effects of climate change farmers needs to grow new crops that will be able to withstand intermittent rains and diseases which may affect crop production, so these technologies are so helpful even in fighting some diseases,“ Jalavikuwa said.
Crop inspection in Malawi
Despite the good news about agricultural yield this year in many parts of the Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division (ADD) the Crops Manager; Ulemu Tembo expressed disappointment with the destruction fall armyworms have caused in some parts of her catch mate area.
Tembo said it is disappointing to see the fall armyworms destroying crops in many fields in the region when her ministry has managed to procure enough chemicals that can deal with the fall armyworms, only that some farmers neglected to collect the chemical from the agricultural offices.
“Indeed the fall armyworms have been a concern in many parts of the Mzuzu ADD but government managed to source enough chemicals to deal with them, but some of our farmers neglected to take the chemicals from our field offices,“ Tembo said.
The Daecc, chairperson Isaac Chavula thanked all the organizations that took part in the program such as Adra Malawi, Find Your Feet, Sprodeta and Luanar just to mention but a few for a successful implementation of their programs in this year’s agricultural season.
This year’s Mzimba-North district agriculture extension committee field day was commemorated under the theme “Agricultural Diversification: Key to improve farmer’s food and income security.
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