In a concerted effort to combat hunger exacerbated by climate change, journalists from the Nyika Media Club have stepped up to advocate for bio-agricultural initiatives.
Malawi, like many other nations, faces the dual challenge of climate change and food scarcity, erratic weather patterns, poor soil quality, and low agricultural productivity have left vulnerable communities struggling to feed themselves. As temperatures rise and rainfall patterns shift, traditional farming methods become less effective.
Speaking during a day-long workshop for the Nyika Media Club in Mzuzu on Biotechnology Activities in Malawi, the professor in plant breeding and genetics at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) James Bokosi, said that driven by a sense of responsibility, Malawian journalists need to take a leading role in raising awareness about bio-agriculture.
Bokosi stressed that scribes must recognize that sustainable practices, such as crop diversification, organic farming, and efficient water management, can mitigate the impact of climate change on food production.
“While journalists champion these initiatives, they also hold authorities accountable, reporting sheds light on government policies, funding allocation, and the influence of various stakeholders.
“By exposing gaps and advocating for evidence-based solutions, journalists play a crucial role in shaping policies that support resilient Agriculture,” said Bokosi.
He further called for a closer collaboration among journalists in sharing best practices, data, and success stories enabling collective efforts to address hunger as the world grapples with climate change.
“Journalists must remain committed to their watchdog role, ensuring transparency and accountability, “ he added.
In his remarks chairperson of the Nyika Media Club Feston Malekezo hailed the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST)’s initiation of the media training on Biotechnology, stating that such interventions play a critical role in bettering understanding of the masses.
“This highlights the critical role journalists will play in advocating for bio-agricultural solutions to combat hunger in the face of climate challenges,” said Malekezo.
The government of Malawi established the National Agricultural Policy seeking to raise the profile of the agricultural sector so that it effectively contributes to the national development aspirations of turning the country from a predominantly consuming to a producing and exporting nation targeting all value chain stages.
The Policy builds on the various policy statements in the sector to give guiding principles to improve agriculture productivity in the wake of various national, regional and global opportunities and challenges to contribute to the attainment of national food security, poverty reduction and national economic development as outlined in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS).
