Shanise Chafukira

    Animal production in Malawi has now transformed into a unique business. Animal production has emerged as a promising solution to combat issues of malnutrition, food insecurity and drive economic growth. Cattle, goats, chicken, pigs and sheep etc. has transitioned from tradition livestock to profitable business, creating opportunities for farmers while improving nutrition and food security. Animal rearing has been a long-standing practice in Malawi, deeply rooted in its cultural and agricultural traditions. Historically, livestock was kept primarily for subsistence purposes, providing meat, milk, and other products for family consumption. However, as economic dynamics shifted and market demands grew, animal production evolved into a viable business for many Malawians. Today, Malawi's livestock sector encompasses a diverse range of species, with cattle, goats, chickens, sheep and pigs being the most prominent. Smallholder farmers play a significant role in this transformatio...

  In the heart of Malawi lies a beacon of hope for the nation's agriculture sector - Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar). This esteemed academic institution stands out for its hands-on approach to education, providing students with practical experience that empowers them to excel in the field. In today’s rapidly evolving agricultural landscape, it has become increasingly important to equip students in agricultural universities with practical skills and knowledge that will enable them to lead the way of shaping the future of agriculture. Lilongwe University of agriculture and natural resources (Luanar), offers a unique platform for students studying various fields in agriculture. At Luanar, students pursuing various disciplines such as crops science, communication and journalism, aquaculture, animal science, food science, agricultural engineering, etc. are provided with hands on practical lessons that goes beyond traditional classroom teaching. This inn...

                                                           Inoculated soya bean In trying to find ways of improving yields of different crops such as cereals and leguminous crops, a  way for improving leguminous crops such as ground nuts and soya beans has been found, which is inoculation. Inoculation is the introduction of microorganism (rhizobia bacteria) into the root nodules of legume plants to form a symbiotic relationship with legume plants, helping to fix nitrogen from the air into a form that can be used by the plants for growth. This nitrogen fixation process helps to increase overall nutrient availability for the plants, vigor and higher yield for legume crops. Inoculants boost yields with at least 40 to 50% and it stimulates protein grain content.                       ...

  In Chilowa area TA Chadza, a small community (Mula village) surrounding Bunda but has been grappling with the age-old challenges of water scarcity. For many years the resident has been struggling to access clean and safe water with a tap located very far from the village being the only source of water. “We were just drawing a single bucket of water in a day because of the distance, a lady said.” As they had been carrying the buckets of water on the head. The water from the tap located very far were for drinking whereas water for other home chores they were drawing in wells which were primarily constructed for irrigation purpose although its’ not suitable for drinking and other household chores. The situation was extremely serious, the community members had been drawing water from these wells which is also unreliable and insufficient to meet the needs of the community, leading to competition over the limited water resources as the whole community relied on the same water resources...

  BY SHANISE CHAFUKIRA The development of the dam has been a topic of debate and controversy, with proponents arguing for the benefits of the dam while the opponents highlighting the negative impacts which can be caused by the dam construction work in the environment. The debate of dam development versus the destruction of the environment has left individuals in a state of dilemma because environment preservation is a valued issue and also the benefits of dam construction cannot be underrated. This article highlights the benefits of the kholongo multipurpose dam which is being     constructed through the collaboration of ministry of water and sanitation, aquaculture and irrigation along Kasangazi River close to Ngala Forest and how the environment is been destroyed and the concerns arise due to the project.  The benefit of dam construction: The construction of kholongo multipurpose dam will lead to water security. Dams act as giant storage tanks for captur...