Mzimba South director of agriculture services Owen Kumwenda has warned smallholder farmers against selling their farm produce at low prices but wait for farm-gate prices. He expressed the sentiments on Saturday during agricultural field day at Machirika Village in Champhira Extension Planning Area held under the theme ‘Promotion of climate smart and diversified agriculture: Key to sustainable food, nutrition and income security’. Kumwenda said his office is receiving reports that some opportunistic vendors are luring farmers to sell their farm products at low prices.

“Farmers are advised to wait for farm-gate prices to be released by government and earn profits. Again, we caution farmers against selling all their maize produce because they may be food-insecure in the long run,” he said. Lungu (2nd L) explains about modern farming practices. | Elton Mhango Kumwenda said their assessment shows that Mzimba District will increase its crop production this year compared to previous growing seasons.

“The estimated improvement in yield production is a result of sufficient rains this year unlike the previous years. Also, our farmers have adopted modern farming technologies,” he said. M’mbelwa District Council chairperson Joel Nkhata hailed the field days, saying they are crucial for training farmers on modern farming technologies.

Thomas Lungu, a farmer from Traditional Authority Mzukuzuku, said he has registered significant improvement in his maize production through use of manure. He urged fellow farmers to continue embracing new farming methods such as pit and deep bed farming, crop diversification and rotation, irrigation farming and use of manure, among others to achieve food security.