Mirriam Phiri Chiwoya

Department of Soil Science
Lecturer
Biography
Academic Qualifications:
  • M.Sc. Integrated Soil Fertility Management, University of Zambia 
  • B. Agric Sc. Soil Science, University of Zambia

Ms. Mirriam Phiri Chiwoya joined the university as Staff Development Fellow in April, 2013 and was appointed as a lecturer in February, 2015. Prior to that, she worked at the Cotton Development Trust as an Agronomist, focusing on generating new production technologies and relevant technical information for improved production recommendations. At the university, she is involved in teaching, research, and community service. She is a resource person in conducting training workshops in Integrated Soil Fertility Management to smallholder farmers in Zambia. In addition, she is involved in interpreting laboratory results and making fertilizer recommendations for the University of Zambia, Department of Soil Science service laboratory.

Courses taught include:
  • Fundamentals of Soil Science
  • Introduction to Soils and Environment
  • Soil and Plant Analysis
  • Soil Fertility and Amendments.

 

Research Interests

Soil Fertility and Amendments, Soil and Plant Analysis, Plant Nutrition and Conservation Agriculture.

Publications
On-going Research
  1. Co-researcher, Optimizing maize-cowpea intercropping systems productivity and resilience to climate change in Zambia and Mozambique. Agricultural Productivity Programme for Southern Africa (APPSA), 2016 to date.
  1. Co-researcher, Effect of conservation farming with or without biochar on crop yield and soil quality parameters relative to conventional to conventional agriculture in controlled mechanistic experiments both in situ and ex situ in Zambia. 2017 to date
Selected Publications
  • Getuno, D.M., Misango, S., Phiri, M, Aoyo, C, Namodi M.O, Määttänen, S and Laitinen, E. 2022. Challenges of using problem-based learning in Africa’s higher education institutes and the way forward. HAMK Unlimited Professional. https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2022061546622
  • Mweetwa, A.M., A.C. Lubungo, B.H. Chishala and M. Phiri. 2016. Selected Chemical Properties, Microbial Activity and Biomass of Soils amended with aqueous Neem Extract. Sustainable Agriculture Research, Vol 5, No. 3.DOI:10.5539/sar.v5n3p103
  • Phiri, M., O. I. Lungu and A.M. Mweetwa. 2014. An evaluation of boron fertilization methods on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth in selected soils from Zambia. Zambian Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol 10 (1) pp. 85– 90. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/273004400
  • Phiri, M., O.A. Yerokun and G. Chilombo. 2013. Phosphorus fractions and uptake in semi-arid soils of Zambia. African Crop Science Conference Proceedings, Vol. 11. pp. 831 – 834.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303306346
  • Chilombo, G., O.A. Yerokun and M. Phiri. 2013. Application of various phosphorus extractants on Zambian soils. African Crop Science Conference Proceedings, Vol. 11. pp. 799 – 802.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303306287