Strides in the FARMSE Project
The Poverty Reduction of Vulnerable Beneficiaries through Community Based Financial Organization and small scale Enterprise Development (PROVED) project, a component of the Financial Access for Rural Markets, Smallholders and Enterprises (FARMSE) being implemented by DAPP Malawi in Nkhotakota and Nkhatabay districts has made strides in the implementation of the activities.
The project commenced implementation in October 2020 targeting to work with 1500 community based farmers organisations of members aged between 18 to 50 years.
In the month of January, 150 Community agents working with project received pushbikes to ease their mobility while they carry out their activities. There are 89 community agents in Nkhotakota with 61 in Nkhatabay.
Aside from organizing the farmers in groups, the Village Savings and Loan groups have been receiving training in conservation agriculture methods and gardening to further contribute to their economic activities.
The Project Coordinator for Nkhotakota District Duncan Jamali said to ensure smooth running of the project activities, there have been monthly monitoring visits which are carried out together with the government officials from the districts.
“Each and every month project Coordinators and District Official conduct monitoring and supervision of the project activities as one way of securing the smooth running of the projects. We have been visiting the clubs from the month of February and we will be carrying out the same activity through March,” he said.
With the project’s unique approach of increasing the access to sustainable, diversified financial services so far 55 Village Savings and Loan groups have been linked to a formal financial institution, the NBS Bank, as one way of boosting their business capital.
It is expected that the project will work with 1500 community based Farmers Organisations within its 36 months of implementation.
The beneficiaries are from Traditional Authorities Malengachanzi, Mwadzama, Mphonde and Mwansambo in Nkhotakota and Mkumbira, M’bwana, and Sub Traditional Authority Mndola, Chipimininga, Siyalimba, Boghoyo and Mkondowe in Nkhatabay district.
