Agriculture – Page 20 – Maravi Express – Your Kind of News. Clear and accurate.

Malawi Parliament passes Cannabis Regulation Bill

March 29, 2024

| Agriculture, Law Enforcement, National, News

* In 2018, we introduced the cultivation of cannabis, but somehow, we discriminated against it * Yet it’s highly sought after on the global market because of its properties—MP Peter Dimba Twimepoki Mangani, MANA President Lazarus Chakwera has on his desk for his assent the Private Members Bill No.1 of 2024: the Cannabis Regulation (Amendment) which Malawi Parliament has passed on Thursday — allowing for the controlled cultivation of locally produced Cannabis Sativa, with the aim of harnessing its…

27,771 hectares of maize dry in Balaka

March 29, 2024

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| Agriculture, National, News

* We have planned to support 600 families in our catchment area, and Nkaya will be involved in small scale irrigation—CARD * We will also provide solar mobile pumps to help with irrigation and communities will also be assisted to rehabilitate shallow wells to make their water points reliable By Mary Makhiringa, MANA Total hectares of maize crop in Balaka for the 2023/2024 agricultural season was estimated at 95,074 but following a 33-day dry spell the district has experienced…

FDH Bank unveils benefits of global marketplace platform African Trade Exchange to SMEs and corporate companies

March 26, 2024

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| Agriculture, Business, International, News

* ATEX is supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement * As well as through the Intra African Trade Fair (IATF), which is also supported by FDH Bank as a key partner By Duncan Mlanjira FDH Bank Plc is set to roll out the landmark trade deal of US$10 million which it signed with African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) in November last year under Africa Trade Exchange (ATEX) facility, a global marketplace platform that will…

Lilongwe’s Gala Macs producing liquid bio-fertilizer for macadamia farming

March 25, 2024

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| Agriculture, Business, News

* Also producing honey at the farm whose main aim is for pollination of macadamia trees * Improved agriculture systems being used include irrigation and crop processing systems By Gift Chiponde, MANA Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has commended Gala Macs for using advanced innovative approaches towards mega farm implementation in pursuit of achieving the MW2063 national vision. This was after being impressed with 2,030 hectares of Gala Macs when he toured the Namitete-based when he toured farm in…

Close to 2 million farming households affected by floods and prolonged dry spells prompting Chakwera to declares State of Disaster in 23 districts

March 24, 2024

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| Agriculture, National, News

* Specifically, 749,113 hectares of maize have been affected, representing 44.3% of the national crop area * Other important crops like rice, soya beans, cowpeas and groundnuts have also been affected By Duncan Mlanjira After physical assessment of state of affairs following inadequate rains, floods and prolonged dry spells that have been experienced across the country due to El Niño conditions, President Lazarus Chakwera has declared a State of Disaster in 23 whose crops were severely damaged. In his…

Farming communities being sensitised on management of destructive plant species affecting crop productivity

March 24, 2024

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| Agriculture, National, News

* Invasive alien species (mulanda malo) are adversely affecting biodiversity — both locally and globally * They are very persistent plant species that invade and threaten quite a range of habitats * As well as, indirectly, the livelihoods of millions of people depending on natural ecosystems for food, commodities and energy security By Duncan Mlanjira Environmental Affairs Department (EAD), in partnership with Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT) and Wildlife & Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), are on a serious campaign…

Chakwera insists on more value addition on agricultural produce

March 16, 2024

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| Agriculture, Business, National, News

* Value addition is in line with the country’s development blue print, MW2063 * Which is premised on innovation in the exploitation of local resources to create national wealth that is inclusive By Yamikani Sabola, MANA On his visit to Kwithu Kitchen — a women-owned food processing cooperative in Mzuzu — President Lazarus Chakwera says there is need to scale up value addition to the country’s raw materials to boost their competitiveness on both domestic and export markets. He…

Government needs to put up strategies of how to attain the macroeconomic stability to attain MW2063 MIP-1 targets

March 15, 2024

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| Agriculture, Business, National, News

* Budget alignment to pillar’s priority intervention of Agriculture Productivity & Commercialization, Industrialization and Urbanization is weak * The country is far from the target inflation of less than 10% and growth rate of at least 6%, which threatens achievement of the desired growth By Duncan Mlanjira In its analysis of the 2024/2025 National Budget, Parliamentary Committee on Budget observes that government needs to put up strategies of how to attain the macroeconomic stability — saying the country is far…

Chakwera tours Karonga’s value addition Nthola-Illola Rice Processing Plant

March 11, 2024

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| Agriculture, Business, News

* Producing 50 tons of rice per day and ensuring the rice is of great quality — starting from the field up to processing * Government is supporting the project with financial resources through GreenBelt Authority By Tawonga Moyo, MANA President Lazarus Chakwera on Monday visited Nthola-Illola Rice Processing Plant in Karonga to appreciate the factory’s contribution to value addition chain in rice production and marketing. The President was taken inside the factory where he was showed different rice…

Army-worms exacerbate diminishing crop yields in some parts of the country

March 9, 2024

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| Agriculture, National, News

Heavily attacked maize crop in some parts of the country—Pictures courtesy of Malawi Weather Chasers * Amidst these adversities, could genetically modified (GMO) crops offer a viable solution? * LUANAR is conducting a ‘confined field trial for biotechnology developed maize crop’ * With an aim to confirm the efficacy of GMO maize crop in line against leaf-eating insects and herbicides tolerance Feature by Leonard Masauli, MANA As most farmers continue to face effects of climate change such as dry…