Malawi’s agricultural system is poorly prepared to detect and contain a reported outbreak of downy mildew disease in maize, raising fears of widespread crop losses in key producing areas, an agriculture expert said.
The Ministry of Agriculture recently warned that the fungal disease, which can cause total yield loss if not controlled early, has been detected in parts of southern Malawi.
However, Alfred Kachipapa, an agriculture expert said weak extension services and limited government presence in rural areas could allow the disease to spread unchecked.
“The truth of the matter is that the agricultural system in Malawi has gone down. Farmers are no longer being assisted the way they used to be through extension officers in the rural areas,” he said.
Kachipapa said agricultural extension workers, who once regularly visited farmers’ fields to offer guidance on land preparation, seed selection, spacing and disease management, are now largely absent from many Extension Planning Areas.
He warned that without early detection and technical support, maize diseases such as downy mildew can devastate crops before government interventions reach affected villages.
“In the past, extension officers would go into the gardens and guide farmers step by step. These days, we don’t see them. Once diseases come, farmers are left on their own.
“From the city center to the rural areas, it takes time. By the time assistance comes, the crop will already be destroyed,” he added.
The government has announced control measures aimed at limiting the spread of the disease, but Kachipapa questioned whether those measures are practical for smallholder farmers, who produce the bulk of Malawi’s maize.
Kachipapa said meaningful containment will require restoring extension services and ensuring timely support reaches villages where maize is grown.
“Most farmers don’t have money to buy pesticides on their own. If the government is failing to even visit farmers in rural areas, how do you expect these measures to work on the ground?” questioned Kachipapa.
Malawi relies heavily on maize as its staple food crop, with the majority grown by smallholder farmers in rural communities.
Downy mildew is a destructive fungal disease of maize that can cause total yield loss if not controlled early and has been detected in Blantyre and Machinga Agricultural Development Divisions.
It causes yellow leaf streaks, white mould growth beneath leaves, stunted plants, deformed tassels and failure of cobs to form, leading to complete crop failure.