LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Center for Agriculture Transformation (CAT) is encouraging farmers across the country to embrace valued-chain crops including soybean, groundnuts, sunflower, and cassava ahead of the 2023/2024 growing season for maximum income generation.
According to CAT, the four valued-chain crops are beneficial for local farmers’ income and consumption amid Malawi’s food crisis.
This follows the three-day training of trainers, dubbed 2023 Agricultural Technology, Innovation and Market Access Bootcamp which CAT organized with funding from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World at Lilongwe University of Natural Resources (LUANAR), Natural Resources College (NRC) Campus in the capital Lilongwe.
The training targeted 75 lead farmers and agricultural extension agents drawn from across the country.
CAT Executive Director MacLeod Nkhoma told The Maravi Post that the trained lead farmers and agricultural extension agents will impart local farmers with knowledge on valued-chain cropping.
Nkhoma expects crop diversification among local farmers for income and consumption with valued-chain crops amid the country’s food crisis.
“After the training, it is hoped that the lead farmers will train, and share skills and knowledge gained with other smallholder farmers in different locations. Extension Workers are expected to use the knowledge to provide agricultural extension advisory services to smallholder farmers on the four value chains ahead of the new 2023/2024 growing season.
“The training focused on soybean, groundnuts, sunflower, and cassava value chains. It included theoretical and practical sessions on the recommended technologies, innovations, and cultural practices for the four value chains, and financial literacy for smallholder farmers (covering gross margin analysis, record keeping, and finance management at the smallholder farmer level),” says Nkhoma.
One of the lead farmers Grace Banda from Aguja, Mtunthama Extension Planning Area (EPA) in Kasungu expressed satisfaction with the knowledge acquired during the training.
Banda assured CAT that the knowledge acquired would go a long way to impart to farmers in her area.
“We have been trained on budgeting, market access, and valued-chain crops for maximum production amid the food crisis and effects of climate change. With this knowledge, about 378 farmers whom I lead will benefit from modern farming methods,” assures Banda.
