Tiyeni NGO moves to equip farmers with new agriculture technologies

Some of the farmers witnessing an example of deep bed farming

* Times have changed because of Climate change and farmers now should start cultivating in a different way

* By bringing in deep bed farming method, we want farmers to start managing soil and water because deep bed farming harvest rain water and controls erosion

By Andrew Mkonda, MANA

Tiyeni, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) aimed at promoting sustainable farming in the country, has challenged farmers in Lilongwe District to start embracing new agricultural technologies to have bumper yield.

“Times have changed because of Climate change and farmers now should start cultivating in a different way,” said Tiyeni Board member, Bernard Kamanga, yesterday at Mkoma in the area of Traditional Authority Chimutu, in Kalulu Extension Planning Area (EPA), during ‘deep bed’ farming method field day.

“By bringing in deep bed farming method, we want farmers to start managing soil and water because deep bed farming harvest rain water and controls erosion,” said Kamanga — adding that it is interesting and encouraging that many farmers in the district have started using and appreciating the new agricultural technologies in their farms.

“As I am speaking, some of our members are in Zimbabwe where they have been invited to teach farmers there on deep bed farming method. The demand is high, but the challenge has been resources,” he said.

Chief crops officer for Ntcheu, Dedza and Lilongwe Agriculture Development Division (ADD), Fumbani Kadokela, applauded Tiyeni for the initiative, saying with the erratic rains that the country is currently receiving, there is need to adopt new agricultural technologies in order to have bumper yield.

“We need to accept that climate change is here to stay, but as farmers we just need to find means and ways of adapting to such situations by, among other things, harvesting rainy water through deep bed farming,” he said.

One of the lead farmers, Gladwell Kapatuka said he has been having bumper yield since he started practicing deep bed farming method: “I encourage my fellow farmers to start practicing deep bed farming — they will never regret even if the rains won’t be enough because deep beds keep moisture for some time.”

Tiyeni has been operating in the country for over 15 years and the NGO has reached out with this initiative to almost every district in the country.