Farmers urged to embark on conservation agriculture

 Ntchisi agriculture experts have advised farmers in the district to embark on conservation agriculture to improve food production.

Bango Section agriculture extension development officer, under Chikwatula Extension Planning Area, Pauline Chifika said this at Chituza Village in Traditional Autahority Nthondo during a farmers training on conservation agriculture technologies.

“The training seeks to promote maintenance of permanent soil cover, minimum soil disturbance and diversification of plant species.

“Further, it also seeks to enhance biodiversity and natural biological processes above and below the ground surface, which contribute to increased water and nutrient use efficiency and to improve and sustain crop production,” she said.

Chifika said conservation agriculture is important in that it increases land productivity.

She said conservation agriculture also saves farmers’ time they would spend in their fields.

James Kazonga, a farmer, thanked the agriculture office for the refresher training on conservation agriculture technologies, saying the technologies are the only way to ensure more crop production in time of climate change.

“Now we are able to harvest a lot from a small piece of land because of the technologies,” he said.

Chituza Village practises different smart agriculture technologies such, vetiva planting and agro-forestry management, among others.