Farmers Urged to Embrace Organic Fertilizer for Improved Crop Harvest in Shire Valley
Farmers in Shire Valley urged to use organic fertilizer, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
CHIKWAWA, Malawi- Farmers in the Shire Valley districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje have been encouraged to consider the use of organic fertiliser, a development that promises to enhance moisture retention in the soil and lead to increased crop yields, writes Cornelius Lupenga.
Member of Parliament for Chikwawa South, Illias Abudal Karim, emphasised the urgent need for farmers in the region to adopt organic fertiliser due to the recurring challenges of droughts and floods that affect the area annually.
"The time has come for the communities to consider using organic fertiliser in their gardens," Karim stated in an interview with AfricaBrief on Friday.
The Shire Valley is home to the largest number of livestock in the country, yet farmers in the region have been hesitant to utilise organic fertiliser.
Senior Group Village Headman Konzere, from the area of Senior Chief Ngabu in Chikwawa, revealed that farmers have been trained in the preparation of farm manure using locally available resources.
Despite the prevalence of cattle kraals in nearly every village, the local population has shown little interest in producing organic fertiliser.
"Not all people have the financial resources to purchase inorganic fertilisers, hence the need to apply farm manure in their gardens," said Konzere.
Abraham Banda, Communications Manager of the Shire Valley Agriculture Development Division (SVADD), highlighted the benefits of organic fertiliser in preserving soil moisture and enhancing soil fertility for crop growth.
As the SVADD encourages farmers to transition to organic fertiliser, Banda called on farmers in the Shire Valley districts to take advantage of the readily available materials and produce their own organic fertiliser.
"Our Extension Planning Areas (EPAs), such as Dolo in Chikwawa and Mpatsa in Nsanje, are just some of the EPAs involved in the production of farm manure," Banda explained.
Banda further emphasised that organic fertiliser is not only cost-effective but also has minimal or no negative effects on the soil compared to inorganic fertilisers containing chemicals.
The use of organic fertiliser aligns with the Malawi2063, which focuses on environmental conservation and sustainable agricultural practises.
Hard to believe people who are farmers and have manure do not put it on their fields. How can this be explained?
It is assumed they look for food aid.
These people are a hindrance to a countries growth and should face penalties.