By Rodney Majawa
Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) has called upon Malawians to embrace the continued climate changes being experienced nationwide.
In an intrerview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday, DCCCMS Director, Lucy Mtilatila, underscored the need for every citizen to admit climate has changed; citing extreme occurrences of recent dry spells on one hand and floods on the other.
She said all alert messages and tips provided by DCCMS must always be taken seriously.
Mtilatila appealed to local councils and other development partners not relent in their efforts to disseminating weather messages to ensure that everyone is kept well informed on abrupt changes in weather conditions.
“It must start with individuals at household level in abiding by all the tips and messages regarding the frequency of these extreme events that, in most cases, put at risk and is a threat to both human and other natural resources.
“Persistent rainfalls and drought conditions largely contribute to floods that wash away livestock, crop fields and other infrastructure; hence, the need to closely monitor these warning tips so that they are free or kept safe from any unforeseen hazards as a result of negative effects of such extreme events,” she said.
Meanwhile, Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) President, Manes Nkhata, has advised farmers to take advantage of the resumption of the rains after weeks of dry spells to plant drought resistant crop varieties to avert the risk of food insecurity.
In a separate interview, Nkhata observed that the recent dry spells have significantly affected crop fields, raising concerns of decreased production compared to last agricultural season.
\”We are encouraging farmers to adopt soil and water conservation techniques and to utilise organic fertilisers in the upcoming season. However, for the current season, farmers must capitalise on the residual moisture by cultivating crops such as potatoes, cassava, peas and sorghum to make the most of the prevailing rains,\” Nkhata advised.
