Farmers Union of Malawi (Fum) has expressed worry over ongoing heavy rains in some parts of the country, saying the deluge may damage the maize crop that has dried up in the field.
Fum Chief Executive Officer Jacob Nyirongo has urged the Ministry of Agriculture, particularly the Department of Agriculture Extension Services, to provide farmers with essential extension and advisory services to prevent maize spoilage.
Nyirongo further urged farmers that have well-ventilated and dry storage space to start harvesting their maize for further drying.
“The rains that are coming at the end of the season have the potential to damage dry maize that is still in the field. We encourage the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Department of Agriculture Extension Services, to support farmers with necessary extension and advisory services in order to avoid maize spoilage,” Nyirongo said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale has expressed optimism that farmers are using knowledge they have to take precautions and ensure that their maize is not damaged.
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According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, five districts of Chikwawa, Mangochi, Nkhotakota, Nkhata Bay and Rumphi have experienced flash floods in recent days
On its part, the Department of Water Resources has indicated that the Northern Region and lakeshore areas are likely to receive heavy rains, replete with thunderstorms, up to today.
It further warns that some rivers may burst their banks.
This is happening at a time the Ministry of Agriculture has indicated that it expects to get 35,000 metric tonnes (mt) of maize from the mega farms initiative this year.
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In this growing season, the government contracted 200 farmers to participate in the mega farms initiative countrywide.
Speaking after touring Harry Kanjudzi mega farms in Msundwe, Lilongwe, this week, Kawale said all the produce under the mega farms would be sold to National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc), Pyxus Agriculture and Paramount Holdings.
“NFRA and Admarc were contracted to buy maize, Pyxus Agriculture is supposed to buy groundnuts while Paramount Holding will be buying soy beans. And there will be Nasfam [National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi] and other markets that will be coming to help in buying the produce.
“It is the government’s wish to move more farmers from the AIP [Affordable Inputs Programme] to commercial farming. We have funding with Agcom [Agriculture Commercialisation Project] that has about K600 billion and Neef [National Economic Empowerment Fund] has about K30 billion to help in the initiative,” Kawale said.
