Paramount Chief Kyungu of Chitipa and Karonga districts has encouraged small-scale farmers in Karonga to adopt compost manure to restore soil fertility and to increase food production.

Kyungu made the remarks on Tuesday during the launch of Harvesting Prosperity by Foundation for Community Support

“What we have seen clear is that we can survive without depending on imported fertiliser. We can do it from small-scale to a larger-scale as at the rate we are going, we cannot afford chemical fertilisers,” said Kyungu.

He also asked the farmers not sell all their farm produce, but they should be keeping some for consumption.

Foundation for Community Support Services programmes manager Jabess Nyirenda said they will urge farmers to overcome the effects of climate change through conservation agriculture and use of organic manure.

“We have put two projects into Makwelero Programme to improve nutrition and agriculture, it will also help smallholder farmers economically by 2026,” said Nyirenda.

With funding from Rise against Hunger, the organisation is implementing the project in Kasoba and Mlare in Paramount Chief Kyungu in the district.

During  the event farmers also demonstrated how to make Mbeya organic fertilizer by using grass.