The records are clear. Every farming season, farmers in the eastern district of Balaka face dry spell. 

In some seasons, the dry spells are extreme such that very few households harvest food that can take them for six months. 

To this effect, the Division Crops Officer for Machinga Agricultural Development Division Hellen Ntenjera says time has come for the farmers in the district to start growing drought tolerant maize varieties. 

Ntenjera speaking on Tuesday in Balaka during a maize and legumes trial said varieties such as DK 9089, DK 777, SC 555, SC 623 and Peacock 10 do well even in the face of dry spell. She said this is backed by research. 

"We are advising the farming families to rotate these maize varieties with legumes such as groundnuts and pigeon peas. They will be yielding more than enough for their consumption," said Ntenjera. 

Catherine Matindili from Malula village in Traditional Authority Matola in Balaka District said she embraced Conservation Agriculture in 2007 and this year, she planted DK 777,  DK 9089 and SC 555. 

"My family has not been affected by hunger since I adopted this modern farming technology 19 years ago and I owe this to the agriculture extension workers who have tirelessly been providing technical support to me and my fellow lead farmers in this community," said Matindili. 

The trials are conducted by the Government of Malawi in partnership with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), a Mexican crops research institution. 

CIMMYT Cropping Systems Agronomist at the Southern Africa Regional Office Dr. Blessing Mhlanga said with climate change heavily affecting the agriculture sector, it is important for the farmers to adopt climate smart agriculture.

"The crop on that flat and covered ground has done very well comparing to the one on the ridges field because moisture was retained in that covered field and this is the importance of Conservation Agriculture," said Dr. Mhlanga. 

He said as CIMMYT, they are impressed with the adoption rate of Conservation Agriculture, a modern farming technology which if practiced by all farmers will contribute to food security at household, community and national levels. 

Apart from Balaka, the maize and legumes trials are also implemented in Machinga, Zomba, Dowa, Salima and Nkhotakota districts.