By Wendy Mkandawire
Environmental expert Dr. Isaac Mwalwimba has advised government and stakeholders to negotiate with companies and institutions that sell agricultural inputs, such as water pumps, to promote the use of underground water as a temporary measure to prepare for El Niño.
Dr. Mwalwimba, Coordinator of the Malawi Center for Environmental, Social and Sustainability at MUST, said the Southern Region is expected to be the hardest hit in terms of food security.
He advised the government to change its agricultural approach instead of only increasing fertilizer under the Farm Input Subsidy Programme, he proposed that government engage companies selling critical irrigation inputs to help farmers dig shallow boreholes for irrigation purposes.
“Communities living close to river systems who depend on rain-fed agriculture should be targeted with information encouraging them to adopt irrigation farming. This will help minimize the impact of El Niño,” Dr. Mwalwimba said.
He added that Malawi must intensify information dissemination in rural areas using all available channels to ensure people understand what El Niño is and its potential effects.
To achieve this, Dr. Mwalwimba stressed the need to integrate scientific knowledge with indigenous knowledge systems, which many communities still rely on.
“Neglecting indigenous knowledge will affect people’s perception and trust in the systems we operate,” he warned.
He further said both temporary and long-term solutions are needed to strengthen preparation for El Niño and address its post-impact on food security.
