The Church and Action Relief Developments (CARD) Malawi has urged stakeholders in agriculture to adopt agroecology, a farming practice that prioritises environmental preservation, as a solution to the effects of climate change and the economic crisis.
CARD made this call at a three-day conference on agroecology, which it facilitated at Bvumbwe in Thyolo, under the support of a network of NGOs in agriculture called Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM).
Melton Luhanga, Executive Director for CARD Malawi, noted that many Malawian farmers are currently making good progress in practising agroecology, as evidenced by the use of self-made organic manure and various soil restoration methods.
Gertrude Kambawu, Director of Land Resources at the Ministry of Agriculture, described the agroecology conference as complementary to the ministry’s efforts to educate local farmers on methods of restoring soil fertility and preventing land degradation.
Environmental advocate Mathews Malata said if promoted, the agroecology system could help ensure food security and improve livelihoods while preserving the environment.
Dr. Keston Njira, a senior lecturer in Soil Microbiology at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), commended the government for devising policies that incorporate aspects of sustainable agriculture, noting that these will enhance the practice of agroecology.
Nozgenji Bilima, Country Coordinator for PELUM, described the action plan from the conference as a springboard towards sustainable crop, animal, and food production, attributing this to the resolutions drafted based on suggestions from grassroots farmers.
