Malawi Urged to Embrace Biotech for Increased Crop Production
NCST Director General Gift Kadzamira said using biotechnology has the potential to accelerate crop yields and reduce the hunger crisis affecting many Malawians.
BLANTYRE, Malawi— The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) is urging Malawians to embrace the use of biotechnology in the agriculture sector to boost crop production and address food insecurity, writes Zonkey Kaziyenda.
NCST Director General Gift Kadzamira said using biotechnology has the potential to accelerate crop yields and reduce the hunger crisis affecting many Malawians.
"There is maize that is under trial at LUANAR, and when we compare this maize and the maize that is not modified, we are able to see that if we adopt biotechnology in maize, we will be able to address the hunger problems people are facing in the country," Kadzamira said Friday during a briefing at the University of Malawi.
The event, organized by NCST and the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology, aimed to disseminate information about biotechnology developments in Malawi.
Associate Professor Wisdom Changadeya from the University of Malawi's biology department applauded NCST's efforts to educate the public, noting that many Malawians lack knowledge about biotechnology's importance.
"The country has been enjoying the traditional biotechnology products such as hybrid maize and animal breeds resistant to various diseases and weather conditions," Changadeya said.
He cited the recent fall armyworm invasion, which damaged maize crops in drought-stricken southern areas, as an example where biotechnology could provide a solution through resistant varieties currently under trial.
"Time has come for Malawians to embrace biotechnology in the agriculture sector to reduce farming challenges the country is encountering," Changadeya said.