By Frank Kauteka Tembo
Cases
of cancer and other related diseases are said to be on an increase in the
country due to over consumption of hybrid seeds and livestock which are mostly
associated with chemicals, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has
established.
The
development comes barely Friday during the Field day at Mkombezi Community Seed
bank in Rumphi district organized by Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (BCI)
under a theme ‘using the farmers’ varieties as one way of achieving food
security and seed security in terms of climate change.’
Rumphi
District Agricultural Development Officer (DADO) Yaz Nyirenda revealed that
over consumption of hybrid seeds and livestock in the country is the major
contributing factor of various diseases including cancer and High Blood
Pressure due to chemicals associated with it.
Nyirenda
expressed concern that a lot of farmers have for so long shunned indigenous
crops and livestock and concentrated on hybrids which bring a lot of health
hazards due to various chemicals applied on it from the time of planting,
harvesting, and storage of crops and throughout the growth period of livestock.
"When
we look at our grandparents they are still looking healthier than some of our
generation just because at their productive age they did not indulge themselves
in foods that would bring havoc in their bodies as such they lived energetic
lives because the food they were taking in was nutritious and some were
medicinal for various diseases that are striking this generation.
"To
say the truth nowadays we can’t survive from various infections because our
bodies are weak simply because we take less nutritious foods which are also
contaminated. The imported livestock and crops from the western world have
betrayed us due to various chemicals being applied throughout the growth period
of crops and animals." Nyirenda explained.
He
blamed Malawians’ perceptions that everything from the ‘Whites’ is good a
development that has led to the abandonment of local crops, livestock, culture,
language among other practices of the indigenous.
He
thanked BCI for its Community Based Agricultural Management (CIBAM) project
which is bringing back the endangered indigenous crops by fetching and
multiplying crops so that everyone should have access to it.
Speaking
with the Executive Director for Biodiversity Conservation Initiative Dr. Godwin
Mkamanga said his organization is promoting the local seeds in the country as
one way of achieving food security and seed security in terms of climate change
as indicated in the theme of the Field day.
“Most
of crops grown in Malawi is from local varieties which are farmers’ varieties and most of them
are well adapted in terms of rainfall, temperature and diseases as such farmers
are assured of getting high yields at the same time the seeds are free as are
kept by farmers themselves.
Internationally,
Malawi is a signatory to the international treaty on plant genetic resources,
each country is supposed to keep and conserve these resources thus why we [BCI]
also promote them,” he said.
Dr.
Mkamanga added that his organization is not meant to discourage farmers using
hybrid seeds but rather encourage farmers to using both varieties if the
country has to be food secured.
Senior Chief
Mwankhunikira of the area in which BCI is working said the project will not
only eradicate hunger but also promote culture of the society.
“Let me
congratulate BCI for the initiative of restoring indigenous crops that have
been abandoned for long due to the coming of the hybrid seeds which in most
cases have led the community astray as they have failed to survive in the local
environment.
Most places in
Rumphi including Mkombezi experience dry conditions, but we have seen here that
local seeds planted with the coming of the project have survived than these
hybrids an indication that the community can do it without hybrid crops.
Let me encourage
our partner BCI to continue and discover more endangered species of crops and applaud the organization for involving
the youths in the project a sign that the project will progress even if funds
dry out as the children are the future generation.” Themba Mwankhunikira
articulated.
Mwankhunikira
assured BCI that he will work tirelessly to ensure that all village headmen in
his area have taken part in the project.
Rumphi district
has fourteen Community seed banks that were constructed by Find Your Feet
organization funded by the Development Fund of Norway (DF) and BCI has been
working with Mkombezi and Chikwawa Community Seed Banks since last year with
funding from the same DF.
This year the
organization has piloted to other two seed banks namely Baliro and Bolero Community Seed Banks within
the district.
