LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Center for Agriculture Transformation (CAT) has expressed satisfaction with quick acquisition of knowledge on valued-chain cropping.

CAT is therefore impressed with hands-on training lead farmers are imparting communities on four value-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 was observed during local farmers’ hands-on training event which took place last week Wednesday at Madzo Cooperative at Madisi, Dowa district.

CAT with its partner Going Green has intensified extension services to local farmers on value-chain crops in Kasungu, Dowa, Mchinji, Lilongwe, Salima and Nkhotakhota districts

Speaking during the event, the Director of Science and Technology at CAT, Geoffrey Kananji was expressed with lead farmers approach towards skills delivery on value-chain cropping.

Kananji said trainings aimed at making sure that farmers are adopting modern agricultural technologies to increase their productivity in the coming growing season.

He said through their partners CAT intends to reach out to 15,000 smallholder farmers by the end of the intervention.

On her part, Going Green Managing Director, Chikondi Khonje said the organisation is working closely with smallholder farmers by providing them with sunflower seeds while providing them markets after harvest.

She said due to the high demand for sunflower her institution plans to reach more smallholder farmers to adopt modern farming technologies to maximize production.

According to a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Dowa Ngala Consitituency, Arthur Sungitsa said the initiative has helped his people to have diversified income for economic independent.

With financial support from Foundation for a Smoke- Free World through the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI), last month, November, CAT conducted a three-day training of trainers, dubbed 2023 Agricultural Technology, Innovation and Market Access Bootcamp on four value-chained crops.

The training targeted 75 lead farmers and agricultural extension agents drawn from across the country.