Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Kondwani Nankhumwa says government will start buying maize from farmers next month.
According to Nankhumwa, resources have been allocated for buying maize in April as the ministry wants to end the practice of buying maize in September or October.
“This month we are announcing farm gate prices, but in April let’s be assured that we are starting buying maize because government has reformed,” said Nankhumwa.
The minister made the remarks Thursday at Namiyasi Residential Training Centre (RTC) in Mangochi where he attended a Machinga Agricultural Development Division (ADD) Field Day.
According to Malawi News Agency (MANA), Nankhumwa visited two sites in Nansenga EPA and three sites in Mbwadzulu EPA where among others, he appreciated crop diversification and climate smart agriculture practices; banana and tomato commercial farming.
Nankhumwa also appreciated Goat Pass-on programme and improved Khola, a project being implemented by the Malawi Disaster Reduction Programme Project (MDRPP); and Farmer Field School supported activities at Namiyasi Residential Training Centre (RTC).
He told MANA that he was impressed to note that farmers were using new farming technologies with the aim of reducing the impact of climate change
“From the sites we have visited I have seen that the farmers are absorbing the new farming technologies such as use of locally made composite fertilizer called mbeya, and other technologies such as conservation agriculture: this is very impressive,” he said.
