Most farmers who have used organic fertilizers in areas under the Mzuzu Agriculture Development Division (ADD) are expecting a bumper yield this year if the good rains continue falling.

The use of organic fertilizer has been an alternative to chemical fertilizers being sold under the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) which has met numerous logistical challenges threatening this year’s national food production which according to the recent Climate Change IPCC figures on food insecurity published by Save the Children’s Country Director in Malawi, Kim Koch, indicates that a third of the country’s population which is 5.4 million out of 16.6 million people is on the brink of extreme hunger due to poverty and recurrent shocks to the food systems.

Speaking during the Malawi Daily Telegraph’s field visit to Bwengu, Bolero, Chikwawa and Luzi in Rumphi and Mzimba districts most farmers says they will continue using locally available Super Yield Organic fertilizer in their maize, tobacco, vegetables and tomato fields which is another way of improving soil composition in order to evade perennial hunger.

One of the maize and tobacco farmers, Joe Nyirongo thanked the ADD field supervisors for recommending the use of organic fertilizers which he said has proved to be successful even in sloppy areas where all along the crops were weathering.

“The crop is very promising this year even in sloppy areas where all along plants were weathering, the application of Super Yield Organic fertilizer has increased fertility of the soil which also act as an effective energy source of soil microbes which in turn improve soil structure and crop growth,” Nyirongo said.

He further stated that if his household could wait for the chemical fertilizers being sold through AIP then his family would have been among the first cueing for this year’s free government food distribution after failing to purchase cheap fertilizers despite receiving coupons.

Chairperson for Kammaji Investment, the producers of Super Yield Organic fertilizer, Wisdom Ngwira called upon government to consider empowering organic fertilizer manufacturers whom he said will play a great deal in the restoration of soil fertility

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“Chemical fertilizers have polluted our soils to a point of rendering it almost potent, let the authorities consider empowering organic fertilizer manufacturers which is the best way of soil conservatsaid

“The use of organic fertilizers which naturally have mineral sources that contain moderate amount of plant essential nutrients are capable of mitigating problems associated with synthetic fertilizers and gradually release nutrients into the soil solution and maintain nutrient balance for healthy growth of crop plants,” Ngwira said.

Ngwira further said that the use of organic fertilizers will also reduce the externalization of the country’s scarce forex apart from promoting job creation hence conquering with the UNICEF Country Director’s report which states that when families go hungry it is often children who bear the brunt, through being pulled out of school to work to support their families or falling victim to early marriages.