An Agriculture expert Leonard Chimwaza has advised farmers affected by dry spells to resort to planting alternative food crops in order to ensure they are food secure.
Chimwaza has said this as some parts of the country most especially in the southern region were hit by dry spells in the past weeks, resulting to wilting or total drying up of crops especially maize.
In an interview with radio Islam, Chimwaza said it is worrisome to note that some of the farmers affected, suffered to access farm inputs due to rising costs and economic challenges.
Chimwaza said it is high time people in the country embrace climate change and its effects hence encouraging farmers to plan accordingly and adopt new farming techniques.
“I think it is now time for people in the country to embrace the effects of climate change so as a country we need to plan well and shift irrigation farming. I can also advise the farmers who have been affected by the dry spell to plant crops like cassava, sweet potatoes and cow peas among others in order to become food secured”, he said.
He added that the government should also encourage people to adopt water conservation methods, promote rainwater harvesting and establish irrigation schemes.
The dry spells affected Chikwawa, Nsanje, Blantyre, Machinga, Mangochi, Salima, Dedza Ntcheu, Lilongwe, Mchinji, Dowa and Ntchisi districts, according to the department of meteorological Services and Climate Change DCCMS.
Meanwhile, some areas that were affected by the dry spells have reportedly started receiving rainfall. This according DCCMS is as a result of Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone ITCZ oscillating over the country.
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