Stakeholders in the agriculture sector have reiterated the need for the government to focus on enhancing irrigation farming to counter possible shocks perpetuated by the impending El Nino weather.
A recent global information and early warning system on food and agriculture update published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (Fao) indicates that Malawi is among Southern African countries that will experience extreme heat weather conditions between November and March 2024.
In an interview, Civil Society Agriculture Network Chairperson Helbert Chagona said there is a need to assess and enhance existing irrigation infrastructure to increase water availability during dry periods.
“Investments in irrigation systems, including small-scale and community-based irrigation schemes, can ensure water access for crops during extreme weather conditions.
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“We need to promote water harvesting techniques such as construction of small dams, ponds and water storage systems,” Chigona said.
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He said efficient water management and conservation strategies can help farmers store water during the wet season and use it judiciously during dry periods.
He said the country must strengthen meteorological services to provide accurate and timely weather information to farmers. Improved forecasting can help them make informed decisions regarding planting schedules, irrigation and crop management.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Insurance Institute of Malawi annual conference, Minister of Finance Sosten Gwengwe said crop insurance could help avert the impact of extreme weather including the looming El Nino.
“We are running an economy with no buffers. Ours is not a resilient economy because any calamity that comes hits the people directly.
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“We have been hit by a number of shocks recently and to hear of an impending El Nino, our prayer is that it should not materialise but if it does, crop insurance now comes on the table and you could see that, going forward, resilience is the main thing and insurance is at the centre of it,” Gwengwe said.
According to the World Food Programme, during the 2020-2021 farming season, nearly 65,000 farming households in Malawi received cash pay-outs from an agricultural insurance programme amounting to $2.4 million after drought and pests destroyed crops.
