LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-In a bid to reduce produce loses after harvest, the Centre for Agriculture Transformation (CAT) on Friday, April 12, 2024, graduated over 70 lead farmers on post-harvest crop management.
CAT also empowered the lead farmers on financial literacy and market access through a two day training held at Lisasadzi Residential Training centre in the central district of Kasungu.
With financial support from Foundation for a Smoke- Free World through the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI), CAT has been conducting series of Bootcamp trainings to farmers including value-chained crops, market access, Agricultural Technology, Innovation and among others.
CAT Executive Director Macleod Nkhoma encouraged participants to make use of the knowledge and skills acquired for maximum returns of the crop yields.
Nkhoma therefore expects participants to share acquired knowledge and skill with community members for better produces returns.
“These are series of training CAT continue impart smallholders farmers to get maximum benefits of their production. We want sustainable agriculture production.
“When a farmer knows how to manage crops, productions records and able to know markets for produces, expect total transformation in agriculture for the country,” lauds Nkhoma.
One of the participants, Christopher Sandifore, from Mpenu Grain and Regume Cooperative in Lilongwe said the training has opened up his eyes on market access for produces.
“The training has enlightened us on how to manage crops after harvest that we shouldn’t incur loses,” excited Sandifore.
ATI Programs Manager Riz Khan expressed satisfactory on how funding is being utilized towards uplifting farmers livelihoods in agriculture.
Khan assured CAT of continues support towards CAT programs on smallholders farmers.
Foundation for a Smoke- Free World through ATI has pumped about US$13.7 million since 2019 towards CAT programs in Malawi.