Climate

change and
livestock
interface
P2
Sting of climate change P21
Dairy farming at crossroads P24

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

agriculture: amid climate change

Special Essay by Dr Andy CL Safalaoh,

Luanar Associate Professor in Animal
Science

The
following are
organisations
and
institutions
that are
promoting the
agriculture
sector in
Malawi:
1. ACE
2. ActionAid
3. Constantine
4. Development
Fund of Norway
5. Farm Radio
6. Foundation for
Irrigation and
Sustainable
Development
7. Lifuwu Rice
8. Malawi
Mangoes
9. Peacock Seed
10.Promat
11.Seedco
12.Sunseed Oil
Limited
13.Tithokoze
Farm
14.Universal
Trading

Climate change,
livestock interface

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

Hot Institutions

Livestock contributes significantly to livelihoods of rural communities

ivestock, including
poultry, is widely
recognised
as
an
important
livelihood asset in poor
countries such as Malawi.
Due to their poor
resource base and wider
pervasive poverty that
characterise the context in
which they are embedded,
the poor are particularly
vulnerable
to
many
disasters including climate
change-induced disasters
such
as
prolonged
droughts and floods.
Considering
and
recognising how recent
trends of climate changeinduced disasters have
negatively
affected
livelihoods of the poor in
Malawi, it is fundamental

that interventions be
put in place to mitigate
any related negative
consequences that may
arise with respect to
smallholder agriculture,
including livestock.
This is particularly
important
considering
that livestock is an
important asset that
significantly contributes
to livelihoods of the rural
poor in several ways.
Briefly,
livestock
is a source of animal
proteins
including
milk, meat, eggs, blood
(contributing to food
and animal security and
dietary diversity, hence,
ceteris paribus improved
health),
manure
(contributing to natural

capital
through
soil
improvement), cultural
and social uses such as
lobola and rituals (social
capital), a moving bank,
insurance and source of
much-\needed income
through sale of livestock,
hiring of draught animals
as transport or field work
such as ploughing.
The income is also an
important multi-faceted
livelihood outcome which
can also be converted to
other livelihood capitals
such as use of cash to
pay school fees and
associated
accessories
and pay health-related
expenses
(hence,
contributing to human
capital), cash for lobola
and social activities and

rituals (social capital) and

purchase of household
needs, including furniture
(hence, contributing to
physical assets).
Recognising
such
enormous
importance

and role that livestock

plays, there is need to
strategically plan how
to manage and mitigate
the effects of climate
PAGE 3

FAST FACTS

Globally, according to the most recent

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) report, GHGs emissions from agriculture
represent about 10 to 12 percent of the total
anthropogenic GHGs emissions.
A report by the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) highlights that global
warming is projected to increase temperature by
2 to 3C by 2050, with a decline in rainfall and
water availability.

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

3
SPECIAL ESSAY

agriculture: amid climate change

change-induced weather
hazards such as drought
and floods.
The aim should be to
devise interventions that
can be used to provide
assistance that saves
livestock and provide
room for rebuilding the
livestock base that may
be lost during prolonged
droughts and floods.
Negative effects of
drought and floods
Loss of animals: While
drought and dry spells
are more common than
floods, recent evidence
shows that floods can be
as devastating.
Recently, an initial
assessment in Nsanje
indicated
that
an
estimated 91 000 animals
including 5 000 cattle and
38 000 goats and pigs
have succumbed to the
floods.
Meanwhile,
some
animals are reportedly
displaced, stranded and
marooned in islands
surrounded by flood
waters courtesy of the
deadly Bansi and Chedza
Tropical
Cyclones
(see
http://www.ifaw.
org/international/
node/102888).
This is illustrative that
poor smallholder livestock
keepers in Malawi are very
vulnerable to weather and
climate change-induced
weather hazards such as
floods.
Apart from loss due
to floods, animals also
starve to death due to
lack of food in times of
prolonged droughts.
Loss of feed resource base:
Floods and droughts also
reduce access to feed and
fresh water.
Floods sweep away
trees and shrubs and
grass (pasture) which can
sometimes be covered in
mud making the fodder
unavailable to animals.
The
situation
is
aggravated
during
droughts and continued
dry spells where all the
pasture and shrubs tend
to dry up and are easily
destroyed by uncontrolled
bushfires.
Shortages of feed force

Face-to-face: Livestock
production, climate change

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

PAGE 2

Draught animals provide cheap transport among farming households

animals to walk long
distances in search of food
and water as most water
poins completely dry
up. Unfortunately, this
depletes the already low
energy body reserves.
Degradation of pastures
in periods of drought is
another major problem
that lead to complete
loss of productive pasture
species and desperate
consumption of toxic
plants by animals. In
addition, this can also
lead to soil degradation.
At a commercial level,
feed becomes scarce and
prices go up.

rom
the
animal
welfare perspective,
lack of access to feed

and water infringes upon

the freedom of animals
from hunger and thirst.
Due to lack of access to
fresh water and feed,
animals easily succumb
to
disease
(eating
contaminated soil, toxic
plants, drink water from
dirty sources, operate in
muddy
environments)
leading to poor body
condition
scores
which negatively affect
productivity
through
reduced
growth
and
reproduction.
Reduced
body
condition entails loss of
livestock market value to
the chagrin of the poor
smallholder
livestock
producer.
Freedom from comfort:
During
droughts,

temperatures are always

high leading to heat stress
which negatively affects
animal production.
Under the extensive
livestock system that
prevails in Malawi, the
dry spells also lead to loss
of shelter as most trees
dry up, thereby denying
animals their only reliable
source of shade.
Climate
changeinduced drought and
associated dry spells,
therefore, deprive animals
of their freedom from
discomfort and distress.
Increased
disease
incidences: Due to poor
body condition scores of
animals caused by lack
of adequate feed, animals
become susceptible to
many diseases further

jeopardising their chances

of survival.
This is exacerbated
by the fact that some
humans who provide
technical support services
are displaced and that
some key infrastructure
may be lost.
Solutions: So what
can be done?
Proactive policy: For
drought-declared districts
or zones where farmers
are too impecunious
and resource-poor to
cope with the effects
of prolonged drought
and severe livestockthreatening
floods,
Malawi should consider
formulating policies and
establishing institutions
that proactively promote
and protect livestock as

an important productive
asset
and
recognise
livestock
production
as a crucial livelihood
strategy.
Policy options should
be
considered
with
respect to provision of
extension packages for
management of livestock
under
drought
and
floods (e.g. policies and
mechanisms on adoption
of
feed
preservation
technologies such as hay
and silage as feed reserve
for use during lean
periods);
management
of communal grazing
areas and establishment
of Livestock Drought
Recovery
Assistance

PAGE 4

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

agriculture: amid climate change

Schemes
(Lidras);
probably managed by the
Department of Animal
Health and Livestock
Production.
Aspects to be covered
under
Lidras
could
include, but not limited to
rehabilitation of degraded
communal grazing areas
and rangelands as way
of improving pasture
availability;
provision
of emergency veterinary
support and services;
establishment
of
livestock survival feeding
programmes
through
supply and distribution
of
emergency
feed
including fodder and
feed supplements (at
least to meet minimum
animal
maintenance
requirements, especially
for
sick,
pregnant
and young animals);
movement of animals to
other areas of the country
where feed is sufficient
during
prolonged
droughts; provision of
water by establishing
emergency
livestock
watering points; provision
of animal shelters to
reduce effects of heat
stress and for use during
emergency
livestock
feeding programmes and
livestock relief restocking
schemes as a livestock
assets
rebuilding
effort. As a blessing in
disguise, mechanisms for
capturing flood waters for
use by livestock farmers
such as construction
of dams should also be
considered.
When
undertaking
these
interventions,
Lidras could incorporate
and
leverage
efforts
by partners such as
local NGOs promoting
livestock-oriented
livelihood interventions
and international bodies
such as the International
Fund for Animal Welfare
[(Ifaw)
as
already
demonstrated in Nsanje]
and the Society for the
Protection of Animals
Abroad (Spana).
Apart
from
these
policy-related
options,
other pragmatic decisions
and
management
strategies should also be

Cushioning effects of
climate change

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

PAGE 3

SPECIAL ESSAY

Dams provide drinking water to farm animals during dry seasons

considered. These include
culling or destocking
through selling of animals,
especially
if
farmers
are unable to maintain
a reasonable condition
score of the animals.
This
implies
that
drought
forecasting
and
early
warning
systems by actors such
as the Department of
Climate Change and

Meteorological Services
and
monitoring
the
condition
score
of
livestock are crucial.
In addition, humane
killing of animals should
also be considered where
chances of survival of
affected livestock are
limited. From the animal
welfare perspective, it
should be considered an
offence to let animals

suffer to the extent that

they cannot eat or drink
and deliberately left to
starve to death. This calls
for legislation on animal
welfare in Malawi.
Overall, there is need
for Malawi to pursue a
trajectory that integrates
both proactive approaches
(advance
planning
and
livestock-related
emergency preparedness)

and reactive approaches

(rapid response to ensure
that remaining animals
survive).
Informed
by
the
aforementioned
perspectives, mitigation
of effects of climate
change-induced drought
and floods in Malawi
require a holistic approach
integrating both shortterm and long-term policy

changes (or new policy

formulations) in a bid
to reduce vulnerability
of poor smallholder
livestock producers to
droughts and floods.c
Safalaoh
is
also
Leadership in Environment
and Development (Lead)
fellow
and
Science,
Technology and Innovation
Studies Scholar

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

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Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

agriculture: amid climate change

limate change continues

to threaten food security
and economic well-being
of the country as weather
becomes more unpredictable.
For an economy which
relies on agriculture such
as Malawis, the impact of
climate change is enormous
due to its overreliance on
rain-fed agriculture.
Over the past few years,
rains have become so
unpredictable in terms of
both patterns and intensity.
To make matters worse, the
majority of the smallholder
farmers who contribute
to over 70 percent of the
national production do not
have the capacity to adapt to
the effects of climate change.
They have limited access
to climate resilient varieties,
technical support and climate
adaptable
technologies.
Eventually, the synergy of
climate change, poor market
systems and low prices for
agricultural
commodities
sting the farmers hard.
Amid such a situation,
there is a new dawn of
hope for oil seeds farmers.
Sunseed Oil Limited has
made headway in pursuing
cost-options to help balance
the scale of maintaining
food security and sustainable
economic development in
context of climate change.

advertoriaL

Sunseed boosts economy as

it offers hope to seed farmers

The
company
has
established the first ever
out-grower scheme in the oil
seeds sector for commercial
production
of
various
legumes such as soya beans
and sunflower.
Sunseed is a private
company which processes
cooking oil from locally
grown oil seeds such as soy
beans and sunflower. It also
intends to include other
potential oil seeds in the near
future, especially groundnuts
and cotton seeds.
In 2014, Sunseed started
a
farmer
engagement
department that works with
farmers across the country.
The
state-of-the-art
company has capacity to
crush 180 000 metric tons of
oil seeds in a year. Sunseed
wants to source 50 percent
of its raw materials locally
in an effort to improve the
economic well-being farmers
at the same time ensure that

the country is self-sufficient

in as far as cooking oil is
concerned.
Through the out-grower
scheme, Sunseed Oil Limited
engages cooperatives, farmer
clubs and other farmer
organisations in contract
farming as growers.
The system also aims
to promote and enhance
production of oil seed by
ensuring farmers of a ready
market.
For a long time, local
farmers cited lack of markets
as a major challenge and
a disincentive for them to
continue producing.

n this arrangement, farmers

are guaranteed a stable
market for their produce
even before cultivation starts.
To
ensure
maximum
production, Sunseed provides
improved farm inputs such as
certified seed to farmers.
Sunseed has also established

an extension department to
provide technical support
and ensure that farmers
adopt new farming and
climate adaptation practices.
The
companys
initiatives have received an
overwhelming
response
from local farmers, resulting
in exponential increase in
land allocated to oil seeds
production.
Soya beans and sunflower
seeds are major raw materials
which Sunseed uses to
produce cooking oil.
Sunseed uses 500 metric
tons of grain in a day to
produce cooking oil. There
three main stages in cooking
oil manufacturing though
the processes for soya differs
a bit form that of sunflower.
Soya moves from storage
to cleaning before the
preparatory stage where the
seeds are crushed and flaked
to reduce the surface area for
oil extraction.

For
sunflower,
decortication is done before
the preparatory stage where
mechanical oil extraction
is done after flaking. This
is because sunflower has a
high oil content which can
be partly extracted through
mechanical pressing unlike
soya.
From the preparatory,
seeds go to solvent extraction
plant where a solvent is
passed through the crushed
seeds to absorb almost all the
crude oil which is then stored
in crude oil tanks ready for
refining.
Refining is the last major
step and has three processes
which aims to remove the
deep colour, the odour and
maintain the right viscosity
of the oil.
Thereafter, the oil is
fortified with vitamins A
and D as per requirements
of the Malawi Bureau of
Standards (MBS) and other

international standardisation
bodies before it is packed in
readiness for the market.
Sunseed Oil Limited
produces three brands of
cooking oil: MULAWE
and LAWANI from soya
beans and SUNGOLD from
sunflower.
All these brands are good
for health living as they do
not contain cholesterol and
trans-fatty acids which are
among the major health
concerns.
The products come in
different sizes ranging from
sachets to five litre bottles to
make them affordable for a
spectrum of consumers.
The
products
are
distributed across the country
through numerous outlets
such as super markets,
wholesalers, small and large
shops just to mention a few.
The cooking oils are
suitable for salads, frying and
baking, among other uses. c

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13
FEATURE

agriculture: amid climate change

Enhanced soil management: Solution to soil-depleting floods

IRON MSISKA
News analyst

Chiyembekeza: We have a number of strategies

Rich fertile top soils are lost through flooding

Because of lack of funding,
our forest protection officers
cannot effectively cover all the
forests that need protection.
We, therefore, want to increase
funding
towards
forest
management.
We also intend to take
advantage of the Shire River

Basin Management Programme

(SRBMP) to enhance forest
management.
This
is
a
comprehensive
programme
that looks at a number of
components,
including
environment management.
The SRBMP is a 15-year
World Bank funded programme

that
seeks
to
generate
sustainable social, economic
and environmental benefits by
effectively and collaboratively
planning,
developing
and
managing the Shire River
Basins resources.
Among others, it looks
at
investments
in
water

infrastructure and systems

operations;
laying
the
foundation for more integrated
investment planning and for
modernised system operations
for the basin; and addressing
the significant socio-economic,
demographic and biophysical
challenges
which
include

increasing population pressure,

food security and poverty
leading
to
environmental
degradation.
Chiyembekeza
says
his
ministry wants to set aside K7
billion towards rehabilitation
of farmland that was affected
by the January flooding.

What we need to do is
to put in place stringent
regulations to protect the
environment, especially trees.
Government should put in
place and spearhead a national
re-afforestation
programme.
Honestly, the annual tree
planting season has become

PHOTOGRAPHs: NATION

overnment says it will

boost management of
the countrys forests
as a means of taming flooding
that washes away top soils,
hampering
agricultural
productivity every year.
The Civil Society Agriculture
Network
(CisaNet)a
policy advocacy organisation
working on agriculture and
food security policy issues that
affect smallholder farmers
and their livelihoodssays
much of the countrys yearly
flooding is a result of loss of
vegetative cover mainly in
upland areas.
And the worst effect of the
flooding manifested itself in
January. Up to 1.15 million
people in 15 of the countrys
28 districts were affected, 336
000 were reported displaced
and 276 missing or dead.
President Peter Mutharika
declared a state of national
disaster and later said $81
million was needed to provide
food, shelter and other aid to
flood victims.
CisaNet executive director,
Tamani Nkhono-Mvula, says
it is estimated that in some
parts of the country, up to 50
tonnes of top soil is lost per
hectare every year as a result
of such flooding.
He says this grossly affects
agricultural
productivity
because most crops rely on
top soil for growth.
Minister of Agriculture,
Irrigation
and
Water
Development
Allan
Chiyembekeza says a number
of efforts designed to tame
soil depletion have failed
because of inadequate effort
towards forest management.
Every year, government
has
been
spearheading
tree planting exercises of
up to 60 million trees. But
management of the trees we
plant and the already existing
ones has been a problem, he
says.
The main problem is
lack of adequate funding
towards such endeavours.

Nkhono-Mvula: Agriculture productivity is affected

too routine to the extent that
trees are only planted on the
launch day and that is all, says
Nkhono Mvula.
Companies
that
use
firewood or its products must
be obligated by law to plant
a certain number of trees in
a year. Planting of trees by

such companies must not be a

corporate social responsibility
but an obligation from the
law.
The Ministry of Agriculture
could not quantify the total
volume of top soil that is
washed away every year in this
country.

But the United Nations

Disaster
Assessment
and
Coordination
(UNDAC)
estimated that 42 000 hectares
of farmed land was destroyed
and 100 000 tonnes of crops
lost in the January floods.
Commissioner and Principal
Secretary for the Department
of Disaster Management Affairs
(Dodma), Paul Chiunguzeni,
says forests help tame floods as
tree canopies break the strength
of the rain drops and facilitate
the permeation into the soil of
the weakened drops.
Where there are no trees,
the rain water collects on the
surface and easily builds up into
flooding. This process leads to
the washing away of mainly the
top soil which is very crucial for
agricultural productivity, says
Chiunguzeni.
Nkhono Mvula adds that while
looking at forest management
as a way of curbing flooding,
government should also put
in place policies that will help
check cultivation of crops in
river banks and forbid building
of houses in such areas.
Some of the communities
impacted during flooding are
those whose houses and crops
are within a few metres from
the river banks, says director
of Leadership for Environment
and Development Southern
and Eastern Africa (Lead-SEA),
Professor Sosten Chiotha.
In most cases, he adds, some
of the affected communities are
in areas known to be prone to
regular flooding such as is the
case with the Lower Shire.
We are also calling upon
government to have a special
policy on agroforestry and our
extension services must be
capacitated in the promotion
of agroforestry, added Nkhono
Mvula.
The Ministry of Agriculture,
Irrigation
and
Water
Development,
says
it
is
promoting
conservation
agriculture alongside agroforestry so as to renew the
depleted soils.
This, the ministry says, is
being promoted together with
the use of inorganic fertiliser.
Vetiver grass and contour bunds
are also used. c

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Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

ADVERTORIAL

16

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18

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

agriculture: amid climate change

advertoriaL

Lifuwu: Centre of excellence Tithokoze: Farming

in rice research in Malawi
the natural way
IRON MSISKA
Staff writter

limate change is
a major challenge
most countries,
including Malawi, are
grappling with.
Weather variability
has increased incidents
of droughts, diseases
and pests, forcing
governments to turn to
research for solutions.
One institution that
is crucial in generating
new knowledge and
technologies to beat
climate change is
Lifuwu Research Centre
and Rice Scheme in
Salima.
Lifuwu is a centre
of excellence in rice
research.
Since its
establishment in 1971,
Lifuwu has been at the
centre of rice agronomic
practices and seed

certification.
This paid off as it
has seen many farmers
accessing quality rice
seeds which turn
exponentially increased
yields.
At the moment,
Lifuwu Research Centre
has Katete, Mpatsa
and Kayanjamalo rice
varieties which are yet
to be released to local
farmers. In fact, we are
yet to start promoting
the new varieties
among rice farmers
in the country, said
farm manager Stephano
Chinkondenji.
The varieties have
been released by the
Malawi Government
in partnership with
the Alliance for a
Green Revolution in
Africa (Agra) through
the Department
of Research in the
Ministry of Agriculture,

Irrigation and Water

Development.
Chinkondenji said
Katete variety is
aromatic and yields
up to 6.05 metric tons
of unmilled rice per
hectare. It matures
within 94 days and is
resistant to a number
of diseases whereas
Mpatsa variety is
slightly aromatic and
yields up to 5.8 metric
tons of unmilled rice
per hectare. It matures
within 100 days and
is resistant to the rice
blast and brown spot
diseases.
Kayanjamalo variety
is moderately aromatic
and yields up to 6.5
tons of unmilled rice
per hectare. It matures
within 110 days and
is also resistant to the
rice blast and brown
spot diseases, he
said.t. c

FATSANI GUNYA
Staff writter

s production of most
farms is shrinking
due to climate change,
Tithokoze Farm is increasing
its products. The farm seems
to have clue on how best to
beat climate change.
The farm is strategically
located on the Mchinji Road,
22 kilometres from Lilongwe
City where the demand for
its produce is high.
As most local farms
concentrate on traditional
crops such as maize,
groundnuts and tobacco,
Tithokoze Farm opts to grow
vegetables and fruits.
Tithokoze is generally
a horticultural farm and
in future, it plans to
start growing flowers for
commercial purposes.
A
study
by
PricewaterHouseCoppers
shows that Malawi is
lagging behind other African
countries in horticulture.
Kenya, for example, exported
about U$709 million (about

K390 billion) worth of

vegetables,
fruits
and
flowers in 2006.
Tithokoze Farm managing
director Cosmas Katulukira
said they want to provide
a steady market for fresh
vegetables and fruits to
schools, colleges, hotels,
restaurants, supermarkets,
hospitals and residents of
Lilongwe City.
We know we cannot
satisfy the demand of the
city single-handedly and this
takes us to our secondary
objective which is to act as
a model farm where farmers
who want to venture into
horticulture can learn how
to grow, manage and market
vegetables and fruits, he
said.
The farm is about 11
hectares and has 1 500
banana plantations, 150
mango and 200 pawpaw
trees.
We also use greenhouses
to ensure that production is
done throughout the year,
said Katulukira.
The farm has huge

quantities of non-grafted
fruit seedlings such as
banana, lemon, paw paws,
mulberry
and
guavas;
and the grafted ones such
as tangerines, mangoes,
oranges, avocado pears
for sale to both individual
farmers and organisations.
But what makes the farm
excel?
We are in constant touch
with experts who provide us
with technical support. We
also access information on
the Internet on acceptable
agronomic
practices
worldwide, he said.
Tithokoze Farm has 20
permanent employees.
Some of their customers
are
Malawi
Catering
Services, Kamuzu Barracks,
Shoprite, Malawi College
of Health Sciences, Sunbird
Lilongwe Hotel, Sunbird
Capital Hotel and several
individuals.
The farm also grows
maize, cassava and sweet
potato and shortly it will
venture into bean and
groundnut growing. c

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19
agriculture: amid climate change

20

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

agriculture: amid climate change

advertoriaL

Peacock Seeds dominates

local DTMA ranking

t a conference
organised
by
CIMMYT IITA
in Lesotho early August,
Malawi won the 2014/15
CIMMYT IITA Best
Maize Seed Dissemination
Team in Southern Africa
with Peacock Seeds maize
varieties taking positions
one, two and three on
individual rankings.
The
Malawi
team
includes
researchers
and companies that are
reproducing
varieties
released in liaison with
CIMMYT, an international
research institute for
wheat and maize which
has
been
promoting
Drought Tolerant Maize
for Africa - DTMAs
adoption.
With
Chitedze
Research Station as its
national focal point led
by scientist Kenzwell
Kaonga, supported by
Cyprin Mwale, they link
with CIMMYT research

team in Harare, Zimbabwe

and provide technical
assistant to small and
medium
scale
seed
companies in promoting
the adoption of DTMAs
across
the
country
using
demonstration
plots,
preference
trials, production and
distribution
of
IEC
materials and field days.
Using the preferential
trials, CIMMYT ranked
the varieties under its
project and Peacock Seeds
varieties have out shown
others with Peacock 10
taking first position,
CAP9001 coming second
and Peacock MH30 third.
These three varieties
are bled to withstand
droughts, diseases and
using the least available
moisture in the field to
produce good yield. These
varieties are therefore
farmers best weapon
against climate change.
Evident in Peacock

Seeds
motto,
for
wealth creation, it is
the companys desire
to create an enabling
environment for wealth
creation in Malawi by
making available and
accessible
improved
hybrid seeds for farmers
who are the backbone of
the countrys economy.
Bleeding of DTMAs
under the CIMMYT
project has seen Malawi
releasing open pollinated
maize varieties such as
ZM309, ZM 523, ZM623,
ZM721 and hybrids such
as MH36, Peacock MH30,
Peacock 10, MH33, and
MH31 which are being
multiplied,
packaged,
marketed and traded
by Small and Medium
Enterprises
(SMEs)
like
Peacock
Seeds,
Pathochi, Funwe Farm
and CPM, Demeter and
many others that have
emerged in the advent of
the project. c

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

21
FEATUREs

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

agriculture: amid climate change

Most NGOs are promoting climate change smart agriculture to mitigate effects of weather variability

Sting of climate change

DYSON MTHAWANJI
Staff reporter

hen Felix Jumbe grew

maize on his 300hectare Peacock Farm
in Nkhotakota last year, he
expected to harvest between
80 and 90 tonnes.
But Jumbe, who is member
of Parliament (MP) for
Salima Central Constituency
and chairperson for the
Parliamentary
Committee
on Agriculture and Natural
Resources, only harvested 15
tonnes.
It does not mean he did not
work hard in the field. He says
climate change led to the poor
yield.

Climate
change
has
negatively
affected
many
farmers,
including
me.
Last growing season, I only
harvested 15 tonnes on an area
where I could have harvested
80 tonnes or more of maize
seed, says Jumbe.
Malawis economy remains
agro-based. The agriculture
sector accounts for more than
80 percent of export earnings,
contributes
36
percent
towards the gross domestic
product (GDP) and provides
livelihood to 85 percent of the
population.
This means if the sector
encounters challenges, such as
climate change, the economy
as a whole suffers.

Like other African countries,

Malawi is experiencing high
temperatures, dry spells and
erratic rainfall patterns.
Climatic change has several
implications on agriculture
and human welfare.
Dry spells and erratic rains
lower crop output. Heavy
downpours have led to floods
which have caused crop loss,
leaving subsistence farmers
with insufficient food. These
implications
have
forced
organisations and individuals
to work hard in search of
solutions.
For example, the Dan
Church
Aid
(DCA)
is
promoting irrigation farming
at Bangula in Nsanje as one

way of ensuring that people

have food at all times amid
climate change.
Irrigation farming enables
farmers to grow crops twice
or thrice in a year, says DCA
programme officer for the
Right to Food Project, Melina
Mtonga.
Mtonga says following the
unpredictability of the rains
due to climate change, it is
risky for the country to solely
rely on rain-fed agriculture.
Irrigation farming is the way
to go, she says.
Changes in rainfall patterns
have resulted in changes in the
growing seasons as well.
Not so long ago, farmers
used to grow crops in October

but all that is now history with

the advent of climate change.
Most farmers are now
uncertain on when they will
plant. They opt for short-season
hybrid varieties because the
growing season has shortened.
Rainfall
patterns
have
hindered the growing of longseason local maize varieties
and forced farmers to switch to
more expensive hybrid crops.
That is not easy considering
that
about
6.3
million
Malawians live below the
poverty line of $1 a day.
Jumbe blames deforestation,

PAGE 22

22

PAGE 21
among others, for causing
climate change.
The problem is that
people have cut down trees
in large numbers. People are
cutting down trees without
planting new ones. This is
dangerous. Many factories
produce carbon which covers
the ozone layer.
Trees
[absorb
carbon
dioxide and] produce oxygen
which cleans the ozone layer.
So with deforestation in many
areas, there is less oxygen to
clean this layer. As a result,
we have delayed rainfall,
says Jumbe.
The deforestation rate in
Malawi is at 2.8 percent per
year, one of the highest in
southern Africa. It causes
water scarcity and reduced
capacity for absorbing carbon,
thus increasing effects of
climate change.
Deforestation in Malawi is
hugely attributed to charcoal
production. Few people have
access to electricity in Malawi;
hence the demand for energy
is high with those living in
towns and cities looking for
more charcoal.
Published
findings
by
the
Malawi
Government
with support from a joint
United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and
United Nations Environment
Programme (Unep) Poverty
Environment Initiative (PEI),
Ntcheu is one of the districts
that produce a lot of charcoal
in Malawi.
Forests
have
been
destroyed leaving the hills
bare and this has negatively
affected agriculture, reads
the findings.
Traditional
Authority
Makwangwala says chiefs
in the district have come up
with different initiatives to
replant trees in bare places.
Climate
change
has
adversely affected us here.
In my area, we have formed
village security teams. A village
security
team
comprises
young men who move around
checking whether people
are cutting down trees in
community forests without
permission.
Culprits
are
fined
accordingly,
says
Makwangwala.
Last year, the Department
of Energy Environmental

agriculture: amid climate change

Impact of weather
variability

Climatic change has several implications on agriculture and people

Affairs
estimated
that
household
firewood
and
charcoal consumption was at
7.5 million tonnes per annum.
This exceeded sustainable
supply by 3.7 million tonnes,
leading to an annual destruction
of between 50 000 and 75 000
hectares of natural forests.
The Malawi Governments
economic analysis study in
2011 indicates that over 80

percent of Malawians depend

on agriculture as their main
economic activity and a major
source of livelihood; hence the
countrys top soil remains an
important natural resource.
Thus, if the top soil keeps
being washed away, this group
will keep suffering.
Farmers have to be taught
climate-smart
agriculture
technologies to enable them

to mitigate and adapt to

climate change with ease.
Again investments are needed,
but this remains a challenge in
a country where government is
spending more than what it can
make causing high inflation,
high interest rate and where
exports are lower than imports
with a trade imbalance of
over $1 billion annually, says
Jumbe.

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

FEATUREs

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

Climate change is a solvable

problem. Lets join hands and
bring laws that can bring back
forests in our communities.
In Sweden, if one cuts a tree,
a law forces them to plant
five trees. As a result, there
are trees all over the country.
Malawi and other countries
can emulate this and in future
climate change will be a thing
of the past. c

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

23
FEATUREs

agriculture: amid climate change

associated with a later start

to the season, earlier rainfall
cessation, increases in mean
dry spell length and reductions
in rain day frequency in most
parts of southern Africa,
including Malawi.
These predictions exhibit a
decrease in mean cumulative
rainfall over most parts of
Malawi ranging from -4.8 to
-0.7 percent in annual rainfall
changes from 2010 to 2075.
Thus, for sustainable dairy
production, there is need
to reducing GHGs emission
and develop strategies to
help dairy farming not only
adapt to climate change, but
also to thrive in the changed
environment.
Improving
animal
productivity reduce enteric
methane emission by 20 to 30
percent.
Increasing
concentrate
levels at high level of feed
intake
reduces
enteric
methane emissions by 25
percent while the use of high
quality forages and pastures
can reduce enteric methane by
25 percent.
In
general,
increasing
animal productivity through
improvements
in
animal
nutrition, fertility, genetics
and management reduces CH4
output per unit of desirable
product e.g. milk.
It is high time we started
thinking of breeding dairy
cows that are tolerant to the
changed environment, but
with high milk production.
Genetic improvement of
livestock has had a major
impact
on
productivity,
resource
use
efficiency
and food security in many
temperate countries.
Being
permanent,
cumulative
and
usually
highly cost-effective, genetic
improvement
has
huge
potential value in most
countries in need of improved
food security.
But genetic improvement
efforts
should
rely
on
appropriate
breeds
and
breeding
strategies
to
improve
productivity
without compromising the
environment.
Smallholder dairy farming
is
becoming
increasingly
important.
This is because of its
potential
to
substantially
contribute
to
sustainable

Climate change, dairy production:

Where do they meet?

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

PAGE 24

Floods affect quality of pasture for livestock

household
livelihoods
through economic well-being,
household food security and
nutritional stability.
But to make it more

effective and sustainable, it

is important that appropriate
strategies are correctly chosen
based on production systems
to both mitigate and adapt to

climate change.
*Dr Mizeck Chagunda is
a Reader in Dairy Science at
Scotlands Rural College (SRUC)

and a former lecturer at Bunda

College. He is currently involved
in several livestock improvement
projects in Malawi, Tanzania,
Kenya and Rwanda.c

24

Special pullout THE NATION AUGUST 27 2015

FEATUREs

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

agriculture: amid climate change

Livestock is one of the enterprises heavily affected by climate change

Dairy farming at crossroads

Mizeck Chagunda*
Reader in Dairy Science

lobally,
livestock
c o n t r i b u t e s
significantly
to
greenhouse gases (GHGs)
emissions.
GHGs
are
the
main
contributors
to
climate
change due to their ability to
cause global warming.
One
of
the
most
potent GHGs is methane.
Fermentation of feed in the
rumen of ruminantsalso
called enteric fermentation
is the largest source of
anthropogenic
methane
emissions.
Globally,
according

to
the
most
recent
Intergovernmental
Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC)
report,
GHGs
emissions
from agriculture represent
about 10 to 12 percent of the
total anthropogenic GHGs
emissions.
Although this is the case,
the whole scenario tends to
be a double edged sword as
livestock farming is one of
the enterprises that is being
and will be heavily affected by
climate change.
Dairy farming, like all
other ruminant production
systems, is vulnerable to
climate change in two main
ways.
Increase in temperature

affects livestock in several

ways such as heat stress,
introduction of new diseases
and increase in parasite
burden.
Low and erratic rainfall
affect
feed
and
water
availability, animal health
and leads to reduced milk
production.
Warmer and drier conditions
increase the likelihood of heat
stress in cattle. Dairy cattle,
especially exotic breeds such
as Holstein Friesian are
susceptible to heat stress.
Heat stress adversely affects
reproductive performance of
farm animals.
This is obviously not good
for a sector that is aiming

to grow. Dairy cows produce

little milk when they are
under heat stress.
Changes in rainfall patterns
affect pasture and crop
growth.
This affects the quality
and quantity of both feed
grains and fodder production
which is vital for a health
dairy
production
sector.
Further, droughts lead to
water shortage which in turn
leads to a decrease in milk
production.
There is also ample evidence
that climate change and
variability has an impact on
livestock disease prevalence.
Good examples are the
rapid spread of bluetongue

across Europe and the spread

of Rift Valley Fever in some
parts of Africa which resulted
from severe floods.
All these examples are
related to climate change.
Climate change prediction
models paint a bleak picture
for Malawi.
A report by the United
Nations
Development
Programme (UNDP) highlights
that global warming is projected
to increase temperature by 2 to
3C by 2050, with a decline in
rainfall and water availability.
Other recent reports predict
shorter
rainfall
seasons

PAGE 23