LILONGWE, Sept 14 (The African Portal) – Malawi’s agricultural sector is looking to Chinese technology and expertise to combat food insecurity and boost crop yields. Officials are touting the potential of new farming techniques and high-yield crop varieties to transform the country’s agricultural landscape.
Geoffrey Maloni, Deputy Programmes Manager for the Blantyre Agriculture Development Division (ADD), highlighted the potential benefits at a recent meeting of the Malawi Alumni Association of China Agricultural University (CAU).
“There are numerous technologies that Malawi can benefit from China,” Maloni said.
“For example, in China they use high plant population, manure and hybrid varieties as compared to Malawi. If these technologies are adopted, it means the country will be able to have more yields.”
The meeting, held at the Thuchira Residential Research Training Centre, showcased the work of Malawian postgraduate students currently enrolled at CAU. These students are implementing agricultural interventions in their home communities as part of their studies.
CAU Vice-President Du Taisheng confirmed that 40 students from Malawi have been enrolled in the program. “The purpose is to train our students in the science and technology backyard. In the second year, they will return to their country to do some experiment to improve the yield and the quality of the crops,” he said.
The Sino-Africa program is already having an impact. One student, Sylvester Panyani, described how the initiative has transformed him from a student into an agricultural facilitator. His work with farmers in Kasungu District has involved identifying challenges, designing solutions, and conducting research to improve crop production.
In a move to deepen the collaboration, CAU recently presented letters of admission to 14 young Malawians who will pursue master’s degrees in agriculture. The initiative reflects a growing partnership aimed at leveraging scientific research and technological innovation to address Malawi’s agricultural challenges.
Credit: AgriMalawi
