By Andrew Phiri

Balaka, August 3, Mana: Balaka District Agriculture Executive Coordinating Committee (DAECC) has launched the Catchment Conservation and Management campaign aimed at encouraging farmers to adopt climate resilience and modern farming practices that would respond to persistent dry spells experienced in the district.

Speaking Friday at Chiyendausiku Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Nsamala, Chief Agriculture Extension Officer for Machinga Agriculture Development Division (ADD), Allan Kaliwo, said forest and land restoration practices are vital for improved agricultural yields.

Kaliwo was particularly happy because the event gave agricultural extension workers an opportunity to appreciate how farmers in TA Nsamala are adopting climate smart agriculture through Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and cooperatives.

He added that it is a positive development to see that communities in the district were able to restore degraded forests and adopting Mbeya manure, matching and box ridges in order to conserve and retain moisture in their fields.

“This event has laid the foundation for communities, district councils and the nation to strengthen environmental conservation policies and encouraging farmers to continue using new methods of farming.

“Due to deforestation, every year Machinga ADD loses over 29 metric tonnes of fertile soil that is washed away into rivers,” Kaliwo said.

One of the members from Nsamala FFS, Linda Maganga, hailed the campaign saying it will encourage them advance modern agricultural practices they learn from FFS.

Maganga said, currently, the group owns an irrigation scheme courtesy of Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) climate smart agriculture.

Chairperson for Balaka District Council, Pharaoh Kambiri, said they will work together with various authorities to strengthen and promote forests and land conservation policies.

“The district council has by-laws that prohibit practices that destroy the environment such as wanton cutting down of trees and cultivating along the river banks. So, we will conduct community sensitization meetings so that people should be aware of the pieces of legislation,” he said.

Held under the theme ‘Integrated catchment conservation and management for enhanced climate resilience and improved livelihood,’ the event opened opportunity for council officials to appreciate various agricultural interventions being rolled out under Adaptation Fund Project and MWASIP.