Minister Lauds Companies' Ag Research, Crop Tech
Kawale said the private sector innovations will "ensure that the country is resilient to climate shocks and other challenges" from climate change.
MADISI (DOWA), Malawi— Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale praised Pyxus Agriculture Limited and Alliance One Tobacco on Thursday for their agricultural research and crop production technologies aimed at improving yields for large and small farms across Malawi, writes Isaac Kambwiri.
"I'm impressed with all the research activities which Pyxus and Alliance One are doing here," Kawale said after touring test plots and research trials at the Mpale research farm in Dowa District.
He cited field tests of higher-yielding groundnut varieties, chemical applications to boost production, and farming methods like planting groundnuts in double rows.
Kawale said the private sector innovations will "ensure that the country is resilient to climate shocks and other challenges" from climate change.
Ronald Ngwira, Managing Director of Pyxus, said the purpose of the tour was "to collaborate with government in enhancing modern technologies of crop production."
"Our aim is collaborating with government on enhancing technologies for tobacco, groundnuts, wheat, soybeans and more," Ngwira said.
The company has over 10,000 smallholder groundnut farmers under contract this season, plus large-scale commercial growers participating in an In-Grower program on Pyxus-owned farms, he said.
Ngwira cited "fast mature varieties on double rows," crop chemicals, and proper pesticide and fungicide use as key modern techniques for improving groundnut and soybean yields.