By Denis Mzembe
LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Farmers cooperatives in most parts of the country have hailed the Agricultural Commercialization Project (Agcom II) matching grant and tractor s they have so far received to have been a major boost to their efficiency and increased crop and livestock production levels.
Former Chirperson of Amadoda Cooperative in the Central Region Distrit of Mchinji, McDonald Misi, sas the cooperative expects to procure about 1,000 to 2,000 metric tons of soya beans this year courtesy of Agcom funding.
Misi says through the matching grant, the cooperative has also managed to construct a soya MK35 Million aggregation centre in the area.
“We had decided to use a local artisan because the cost of building materials was on the higher side.
“Our centre is, however, relatively small if what we produce is anything to go by but we could not do otherwise because we had to align our project with the level of the grant we had received,” he says.
He says the aggregation centre, once completed will, among other things, provide them a meeting point and also help enhance their membership base.
He also disclosed that the cooperative has been awaiting a grant in the form of a tractor to help in cultivating a much larger area of soya beans adding that this will help enhance timely completion of farm operations.
The tractor, which has since been delivered, he says, will ensure that farm activities are done within the prescribed timeframe unlike the continued use of traditional methods of farming.
He recalls that at one point, he had ended up planting on old ridges after the owner of a hired tractor decided to withdraw his machine after securing a more lucrative contract leaving him with little option but to use hoes on a 30 hectare piece of land.
“We thank Agcom for the matching grant because use of hoes and traditional farming will now be a thing of the past,” he says.
Platinum Green Cooperative is another appreciative beneficiary of Agcom grants.
Thecooperative, located on the outskirts of the capital, Lilongwe, under Nsaru Extension Planning Area, is engaged in goat production and was established in 2018 and registered as a cooperative in 2022.
Th cooperative seeks to ensure that it improves the quality of meat that it produces and help reduce the cost of production according to Farm Manager Rodrick Zamula.
The coperatve has a total project cost of K182 millio where the agreement amount is K127 million and beneficiary 10 percent cash contribution of K18 million. The farmers cooperative members are also required to ensure that they make an in kind contribution of K36 millZamula ionays with the funds the cooperative had recently received, they have managed to construct two goat houses, waste storage facility, wire fence , tank stand, and also procured a 5,000 Litre water tank, male and female goats, submersible pump and other farm necessities.
“One of the challenges that we are currently facing is that we do not have a suitable grazing area with good pasture. The pasture that we have is not suitable enough for feeding our goats,” he says.
He says another challenge is that they have been losing goats due to frequent disease outbreaks but was quick to say that they are now constantly in close contact with a nearby veterinary officer for advice and remedial measures.
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