Malawi Farmers Urged to Adopt Sustainable Practices for Higher Yields
The Climate Smart and Public Works Project allows participants to work 24 days over two months.
ZOMBA, Malawi— Farmers in Malawi are being encouraged to embrace sustainable agricultural practices to increase their crop yields, officials said Tuesday during a follow-up on environmental restoration efforts in Zomba district, writes Peter Davieson.
The initiative, part of the Climate Smart and Public Works Project, focuses on constructing water harvesting structures and other measures to restore degraded catchment areas.
Keith Sayenda, District Project Facilitator, reported encouraging progress, noting that many people are adopting the new efficient technologies introduced by the project.
"As a social protection program, we are enrolling many people to work in groups, using their labor to implement these interventions," Sayenda said.
He added that the project has expanded from 15,592 to 20,041 workers across 17 catchment areas in the district.
Sophiya Manyamula, a project worker, highlighted the dual benefits of the initiative.
"We are able to protect our farms from soil erosion during heavy rains by constructing swales, which also help to retain water during dry spells," she said.
The Climate Smart and Public Works Project allows participants to work 24 days over two months.
Additionally, it provides opportunities for group members to access loans to support their livelihoods.
This project underscores Malawi's efforts to promote sustainable agriculture while addressing environmental degradation and providing economic opportunities for rural communities.