Farmers to improve harvests with SeedCo

Written by DAPP Malawi. Posted in Agriculture

SeedCo Malawi a company that produces hybrid seeds for various crops in Malawi has together with DAPP Malawi been working with 120 farmers from Dowa district.

The project known as Weekend Farmers club aimed to introduce new and hybrid crop varieties and modern climate smart agriculture practices in order to increase harvests.

The farmers were organized in 12 groups of 10 members each with one Lead farmer who established a demo plots to grow a variety of SeedCo maize and soya bean crops.

Farmers Learn About The SeedCo Maize Variaties

Farmers Learn About The SeedCo Maize Variaties

On 10 May 2021, SeedCo together with DAPP organized a field visit with the farmers under the project to demonstrate how the crops performed and to share with the farmers of the benefits of growing the improved crop varieties by SeedCo.
Nine maize varieties and two soya were given to the farmers to grow in the demo plots while following climate smart agriculture methods. During the field day, the farmers had an opportunity to learn about the various hybrid seeds and to ask questions on the various crops.
The event highlighted on the harvests per hectare for the different varieties, the maturity period for the crops, climate conditions that affect the different crop varieties, and land preparation and care for the crops during the growing season.

Mr Ephraim Banda from Kaiwe village in Tradtional Authority Nsakambewa is one of the lead farmers that grew the SeedCo maize varieties of Kalulu, Kanyani, Mkango, Mbidzi, Njobvu and Orange maize in his field. He said he will be growing the Njobvu and Mkango varieties as they have proved to do well in their area at the same time giving him bumper yields.

Representing the Agriculture Extension Development Coordinator was the Agriculture Extension Development Officer (AEDO) Elise Thauzeni who encouraged the farmers to grow crops that are resistant to changes in climate and are performing well according to the local climate conditions.
The Sales Manager for SeedCo Mr Raphael Makaka said they were satisfied with the field day and the interest from the farmers showed that they are ready to adopt the new and improved seed varieties.
There are 12 demo plots that were set up by lead farmers who worked with 9 farmers each. The farmers under the project are also encouraged to apply compost manure in their field for soil improvement in the soil fertility.

Odetta Chimwaza – Macadamia Nuts project

Written by DAPP Malawi. Posted in Agriculture

Odetta Chimwaza comes from Timothy village in Traditional Authority Thomas in Thyolo district. She is one of the Farmers’ Club members that are growing Macadamia Nuts in Thyolo district under the Macadamia Nuts Value Chain Enhancement project. She has planted 100 Macadamia Nuts trees which she received through the project.

Odetta Chimwaza

Chimwaza checks her Macadamia trees

She says she has learnt about intercropping in Macadamia Nuts fields with crops like legumes to ensure maximum utilization of land. Apart from intercropping, the farmers clubs were encouraged to establish Village Savings and Loan (VSL) groups in order to cultivate a money saving culture.

“I know about intercropping and saving money through VSLs now. When I sell my legumes I save part of the money through the our VSL and in December 2020 I have managed to buy a cow, I can say this project has already started yielding the results and I will be able to make money for myself and my family,” she explained.

The Macadamia Nuts project is in its 5th year of implementation working with 3000 farmers in Thyolo and Mzimba districts. The farmers to grow 100 tree seedlings each and sell Macadamia Nuts in the future.

FARMSE Project rolls out

Written by DAPP Malawi. Posted in Agriculture

DAPP Malawi has been contracted by the Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE) to implement a Sustainable Village Savings and Loans for community members through Farmers Club Project targeting to increase income of 37,500 beneficiaries in Nkhotakota and Nkhatabay districts.

The programme works to support the graduation of poor Malawians along the poverty spectrum from ultra-poor to a productive pathway on a sustainable basis.

Club members make buying shares

Farmers Club growing onions in a garden

The programme also supports household economic development through access to financial services that are appropriate to each socio-economic level of poverty including ultra-poor, poor but food secure, vulnerable to poverty, and resilient to poverty.
The project has a unique approach with a focuses on increasing the access to sustainable, diversified financial services. The project will support poor and vulnerable beneficiaries to achieve the improved socio-economic well-being.

The project targets to work with 1500 Community Based Farmers’ Organisations (CBFOs) from the two districts. The groups will comprise of members aged between 18 to 50 years and will promote women’s, men’s and youth accessibility to financial services and empower them to access their rights through social inclusion.

The 36 months (July 2020 to September 2023) scalable project has to date registered a total of 509 existing CBFOs; 186 in Nkhatabay district while 323 in Nkhotakota district.

Apart from training the farmers in Village Savings and Loan groups, they are being encouraged to take up income generating activities which include growing crops while promoting Climate Smart Agriculture practices.
The project targets Traditional Authorities; Malengachanzi, Mwadzama, Mphonde & Mwansambo in Nkhotakota district and Traditional Authorities; Mkumbira, M’bwana, and Sub Traditional Authority Mndola, Chipimininga, Siyalimba, Boghoyo and Mkondowe in Nkhatabay district.

MFA and UFF Finland visit Dowa women’s Farmers club & DAPP Dowa TTC

Written by DAPP Malawi. Posted in Agriculture

On 9th December, DAPP Malawi hosted and organized a field visit to Dowa Women’s farmers club project and DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College (TTC) with representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland (MFA) and UFF Finland.

The field visit comprised of visiting two farmer’s club’s projects, a farming cooperative, therapy center for young children constructed by the Dowa Women’s farming club project to appreciate the progress made post implementation phase and to appreciate the work being done at DAPPP Dowa TTC and how communities are conserving the environment through the community forest.

A benefichery explains how the project has canged her life

MFA, UFF and beneficiries

The Dowa women’s farmers club project started its implementation in 2012 in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and support from UFF Finland, a nonprofit, non-governmental humanitarian organization with the aim of reducing poverty and increasing equality amongst female farmers in Dowa district which phased out in 2017.
Through the project, farming instructors provided trainings to farmers on issues of economic empowerment, improved crop and animal production, income generating activities, climate change mitigation measures, improved health, sanitation & hygiene, nutrition, gender awareness and adult literacy as well as disability mainstreaming.
UFF and MFA Finland have also contributed to the construction of DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College which not only trains youths to become teachers for rural government primary schools but also offers free tailoring courses, remedial lessons for community members and promotes children’s rights through girls clubs established in surrounding primary schools.
Hannele Hupanen, a representative from Ministry of Foreign Affairs Finland appreciated the work DAPP is implementing “It is good to see that DAPP is doing a lot through projects such as Farmers club and the Education sector as well as mobilizing the community to conserve the environment. The Government of Finland considered disability inclusivity as a very important component in its development goals. It has been great to also see that DAPP Malawi sees the importance of including people with disabilities in their projects” she said.

UFF Finland and MFA Finland have been supporting DAPP Malawi in various developmental projects including the construction of DAPP Dowa teachers training colleges, Dowa Women’s Farmers club and social projects such as the Teachers network, which focused on the networking of teachers by allowing them to come together to share skills and knowledge to become better teachers. DAPP Malawi thanks UFF and MFA Finland for their continuous support.