CLIMATE CRISIS HITS RICE FARMERS IN NKHOTAKOTA

By Michael Martin//MALAWI

✓Rice production declines by 40% due to torrential rains

The rice farming community in Nkhotakota is facing a significant challenge due to the climate crisis.

Rice, a staple crop for many farmers in the area, is cultivated twice a year in the wetlands along the shores of Lake Malawi, brooks, and river side dams.

However, this year’s rice production has declined by 40% due to torrential rains that washed away the yields.

The Lipimbi scheme, a irrigation project that supports many farmers in the area, has been severely affected by the heavy rains. The irrigation pipes were washed away, and some were broken, leaving many farmers without access to water for their crops.

Beaver Mvula, President of the Lipimbi Water Users Association (WUA), expressed concern over the situation.

“The pipe lining is not in place because pillars were destroyed, and as a result, 20 pipes of 250mm size and boxes that were used to draw water from the dam need replacement and maintenance,” he said.

He said the decline in rice production has had a significant impact on the livelihoods of many farmers in the area.

Mvula added that the scheme normally accommodates up to 130 farmers during the lean season, but this year, it has been reduced to 84 farmers, with only 26 hectares of land available for cultivation.

“We are now downsizing because, in the moment, the scheme only accommodates 84 farmers this season over 26 hectares of land that has been shared,” he said.

To address the challenges faced by farmers, a Nkhotakota-based non-governmental organization, UmunthuPlus, has been conducting refresher business management training for farmers.

The training aims to equip farmers with the skills needed to add value to their products and improve their business management skills.

In her remarks, Annie Kenya, Communications Officer for UmunthuPlus, said, “We are committed to conducting these trainings from time to time because we believe that the ripple effects from individuals’ level of knowledge cripple the operations of the association they belong to.”

The trainings are part of the Sustainable Malawian Agriculture to enhance resilience to climate change (SMART CLIMATE) Project, which aims to integrate afforestation, tree regeneration approach, and soil conservation techniques to enhance the livelihood of communities. For the Lipimbi scheme farmers, the journey is far from over, but with each step forward, they have learned to harness their resilience, turning the tide of uncertainty into a wave of promise.

The climate crisis has had a significant impact on agriculture in Malawi, with many farmers experiencing declining crop yields and changing weather patterns.