Farmers in Kasungu have been urged to shift to bio-fertilizers amid growing concerns over soil degradation linked to prolonged use of chemical inputs.
Kasungu Assistant Land Resource Officer Patricia Kanyika issued the call on Friday during a field demonstration organized by Mwimba College of Agriculture, saying the new products offer farmers a sustainable and cost-effective pathway to improved yields.
“This is the opportune moment for farmers to embrace modern farming practices that protect the soil while also significantly reducing production costs,” Kanyika said.
The demonstration brought together researchers, agro-dealers and farmers to observe how the new fertilizers are applied and how they function in crops.
In his words, guest of honour and college principal, Dr Trinitas Senganimalunje, emphasised the need for stronger partnerships involving research institutions, private companies and government if Malawi is to tackle persistent hunger, rebuild the economy and restore soil fertility heavily depleted by chemical fertilizers.
“As a research and academic institution, we invited our partners, including Saju Agro Dealers, Tokyo 8 and Super Grow, to explore ways of confronting hunger and poverty using modern, soil-friendly agricultural inputs,” Dr. Senganimalunje said.
Julius Kamanga, Director of Saju Agro Dealers, told farmers that the company’s encapsulated bio-fertilizer offers a major financial advantage.
“One capsule sells for K45,000 and covers an acre. This means a farmer can fertilize a hectare with just K90,000 and still achieve high yields,” Kamanga explained.
He said the approach will help farmers break the cycle of low productivity and hunger, enabling them to transition from subsistence to commercial farming.
Farmer Kachigwada Mwale, who has used the fertilizer, testified that the product, alongside others such as Tokyo 8 and Super Grow, helped him boost his harvests while cutting input costs significantly.