Farmers in Dedza have been advised to buy and use irrigation equipment, farm inputs and agri-chemicals for winter cropping to increase food and income security.
Speaking during an irrigation and winter cropping expo at Dedza Post Office organised by United Purpose (UP), the organisation’s marketing and business coordinator Gift Munthali said the exhibition sought to benefit individual farmers, cooperatives, farmer organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) by linking them up with suppliers of modern agricultural inputs as well as financial institutions.
He said: “The world is grappling with the effects of climate change and we at UP are implementing a project called Sustainable Production, Economic Growth, Accountability and Resilience [Spear] programme to increase food and income security for those most vulnerable to climate change in Dedza.”
In a separate interview, Camco Equipment Limited operations supervisor Dan Kachingwe thanked UP for organising the exhibition, saying it has opened channels for communication between them as suppliers and farmers who have shown keen interest in their equipment.
One of the farmers, Ida Jimu, said through the exhibition they have engaged Cumo Microfinance to give them a loan for their seed selling business.
The exhibition brought together more than 20 agricultural input suppliers and financial institutions.
