By Vincent Khonje
KASUNGU-(MANA)-Former tobacco farmers have ditched the much touted income earner for orange fleshed sweet potatoes and European potatoes.
Improved varieties of orange fleshed sweet potatoes and Irish potato have been introduced to farmers across the country and farmers have now started making profits either by multiplying the seed or by selling the roots.
Jaka Mpani of Chisazima in the area of senior chief Kaomba in Kasungu told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that he used to be a tobacco farmer but never benefited from the farming as most of the money realized used to go towards loan repayment.
“In 2019 I switched to sweet potato farming and my life has transformed and I have bought a car, a cart, two donkeys and I now have a shop too. On top of that I am able to feed my family and send my children to school,” said Mpani.
Another farmer from Matemanga village, Traditional Authority (TA) Nyaluwanga, Chimwemwe Mhango, has also find new lease of life in Irish potato farming.
“In 2019 I started Irish potato farming as a seed multiplier and I sold the seed and made a lot of money than I would make in tobacco farming,” said Mhango.
He said he is able to send children to school and has built a house.
Under Kulima project, International Potato Centre (CIP) is supporting farmers to have improved varieties that are high yielding and disease resistant by offering technical advice on potato’s newer technologies.
CIP’s research technician David Nthobwa said technologies that are there most of the times do not reach to the smallholder farmers and want the technologies to trickle down.
“We are giving technical advice to the farmers and also extension services providers. We have new varieties that have been released and we want all these varieties to be available to farmers across the country,” said Nthobwa.
CIP which works with Department of Agriculture Research Services (DARS) is a research for development organization focusing on potato, sweet potato and Andean roots and tubers.
Orange fleshed sweet potatoes are high in beta-carotene and vitamin A and are usually liked by children since they are not very dry.