Mzimba farmers bemoan lack of farm inputs

Farmers from Kabuwa area, Traditional Authority (T/A) Khosolo in Mzimba have expressed concern over lack of farm inputs to help farmers to practise sustainable agriculture.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, Kabuwa Lead Farmers chairperson Andrew Phiri urged non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support farmers with additional farm inputs to enable them increase yield and conserve the environment.

He said ActionAid Malawi, which is implementing a Sustainable Agriculture and Intercropping Project in the district, supports farmers with capacity building initiatives such as conserving the environment and production of compost manure, but does not provide inputs.

“Sustainable Agriculture is a good initiative and it has improved our yield. However, people in the community are appeal ing to ActionAid to support farmers with input starter packs such as seedlings and farm tools,” Phiri said.

ActionAid Malawi programme coordinator for Women’s Forum, Trifonia Mithi said farmers are now aware of sustainable agriculture and intercropping through trainings.

“ActionAid Malawi is not there to support farmers with inputs and seedlings, but to ensure that that they are educated on new farming technologies to improve their harvest.

“The trainings are meant to educate farmers from Kabuwa Zone on new ways of farming such as irrigation,” she said.

Twenty lead farmers underwent training at Jenda in the district and ActionAid said it will continue to train farmers from the area.