Farmers grow crops with ‘magic liquid’ fertiliser (The Nation)

The Nation (Malawi) published an article on fertilizer use and subsidies in Malawi. One fertilizer, ‘Bionitrate’ made from urine is starting to improve yields for farmers in Malawi who face high costs applying fertilizer to maize and other crops amid shifting weather patterns. Malawi has a largely agricultural economy, with more than 80 percent of its population in rural areas and earning a living through subsistence farming, growing rain-fed crops. Malawi’s government has backed and funded several subsidy programs for farmers, but a study by IFPRI found that while subsidizing fertilizer prices increases use, yields, and household income, it discourages the use of organic-based materials and methods to maintain soil fertility.