317 farmers in Neno district have graduated as Community Based Facilitators to pass on extension services to fellow farmers in their respective communities after undergoing a year -long farmer field school under the Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) currently implemented in the district.
Speaking during the graduation on Friday at Neno Community Hall, Deputy Program Manager for Blantyre Agricultural Development Division (ADD), Geofrey Maloni urged the graduating farmers to adopt alternative farming technologies in the wake of climate change to realise bumper yields.
“Use the knowledge and skills gained during the training to bring positive impact in your communities and your families,” Maloni said.
He said the farmers will complement the role of extension workers in providing agricultural extension services to their fellow famers in their communities as they have been equipped with the necessary knowledge.
The deputy Programme manager added that the 317 farmers have acquired knowledge and skills on sustainable land management activities, good agricultural practices, food and nutrition, agro ecosystem analysis, agri-business, water and soil conservation and pest management among others.
“Farmer field school is an extension approach where we teach farmers to adopt technologies by practising them and they are exposed to key agriculture technologies and after evaluation, they decide which methodologies they will adopt,” he said.
District Commissioner for Neno, Rosemary Nawasha encouraged the famers to adopt the technologies such as land conservation practice for them to increase crop yields.
She also called on men to join the farmer field school as out of the 317 graduating farmers 88 were men while a larger number (229) were women.
One of the graduating field farmers, Foster Muyatso thanked MWASIP for organising the training saying the training equipped him with necessary knowledge and skills that prepared him to make impact in his field.
“I will further impart the knowledge and skills to my fellow farmers in my community,” he said.
The graduating farmers are from the eleven farmer field schools in the areas of Traditional Authorities Dambe, Chekucheku and Mlauli where MWASIP is being implemented.
