By Glory Msowoya

Blantyre, February 29, Mana: Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) has urged farmers in the country to priorities cultivation of drought resistant and early maturing crop varieties in order to mitigate the impact of dry spells.

FUM President, Manes Nkhata, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) in an interview on Thursday that the recent dry spells have significantly affected crop fields, raising concerns of decreased production compared to the previous year.

Nkhata underscored the importance of farmers seizing the opportunity to plant crops with shorter maturity period, around 80 days, in view of the resumption of the rains after longer periods of dry spells.

"We are encouraging farmers to adopt soil and water conservation techniques and to utilize organic fertilizers in the coming season. For the current season, farmers must capitalize on the residual moisture by cultivating crops such as potatoes, cassava, peas and sorghum to make the most of the prevailing rains," Nkhata advised.

She assured farmers that the sudden transition in weather poses minimal risk to crops, noting that the rains will particularly benefit crops at critical growth stages requiring adequate moisture.

“Additionally, the replenishment of catchment areas and water bodies will ensure water availability for winter farming and irrigation purposes,” she said.

Assessing the impact of the recent rainfall on already drought-affected crops, agricultural expert, Leonard Chimwaza, explained that the outcome varies depending on the growth stage of the crops before the dry spells.

Chimwaza said some crops are more vulnerable to damage and benefit more from the recent rainfall.

"Dry spells have adversely affected maize crop at different growth stages. In areas where maize was at the tasseling stage, yields are expected to be severely compromised due to insufficient moisture. However, in regions where maize was still at the initial growth stages, the rainfall offers hope for crop recovery and potential yield improvement," Chimwaza said.

Chimwaza, therefore, advised farmers to implement agricultural practices and interventions aimed at maximizing positive effects of rainfall on crop growth and productivity.

Meanwhile, authorities from FUM are currently in the field conducting assessments to evaluate the impact of the dry spells and compile comprehensive findings from across the country.