Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Samuel Kalimira
Published on 2024-04-18 07:19:00
The Farmers Union of Malawi (Fum) has raised concerns about the heavy rains currently affecting some parts of the country. They fear that these deluges may damage the maize crop that has already dried up in the fields. Jacob Nyirongo, the Chief Executive Officer of Fum, has called on the Ministry of Agriculture, specifically the Department of Agriculture Extension Services, to provide essential extension and advisory services to farmers to prevent maize spoilage.
Nyirongo emphasized the importance of farmers with well-ventilated and dry storage spaces to start harvesting their maize for further drying to avoid potential damage from the late-season rains. He highlighted the need for support from the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that farmers are equipped with the necessary knowledge and resources to protect their crops.
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale expressed confidence that farmers were taking precautions and utilizing their knowledge to safeguard their maize from damage. However, recent reports from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs indicated that flash floods have occurred in districts such as Chikwawa, Mangochi, Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay, and Rumphi.
The Department of Water Resources warned that heavy rains, accompanied by thunderstorms, were expected in the Northern Region and lakeshore areas, with a possibility of rivers bursting their banks. Despite these challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture projected a harvest of 35,000 metric tonnes of maize from the mega farms initiative this year.
Under the mega farm initiative, 200 farmers were contracted by the government to participate in commercial farming activities across the country. Agriculture Minister Kawale, during a visit to the Harry Kanjudzi mega farms in Msundwe, Lilongwe, reiterated that all produce from the mega farms would be sold to various agencies including the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc), Pyxus Agriculture, and Paramount Holdings.
Kawale highlighted the government’s commitment to transitioning more farmers from the Affordable Inputs Programme (AIP) to commercial farming. He mentioned that funding from the Agriculture Commercialisation Project (Agcom) and the National Economic Empowerment Fund (Neef) would support this initiative, with approximately K600 billion and K30 billion allocated respectively.
Overall, the ongoing heavy rains pose a threat to maize crops in Malawi, but efforts are being made by the government and relevant agencies to support farmers and mitigate potential damage. By providing essential extension services, encouraging timely harvesting, and promoting commercial farming initiatives, stakeholders aim to ensure food security and sustainable agricultural practices in the country.
Read the original article on The Times
