Tag Archives: Agriculture Transformation Initiative (ATI)

Agriculture, Malawi

CAT advocates for smallholder farmers’ well-organized value chain markets

Lloyd M’bwana

LILONGWE-(MaraviPoat)-Center for Agriculture Transformation (CAT) wants Malawi to have well-organized value-chain markets for smallholder farmers’ produce.

CAT observes that despite 80% of its technologies adopted by farmers across the country, stable markets for produce still lacking.

This continues to attract less number of farmers to diversify from tobacco farming to other crops including legumes for commercial production.

CAT Advisory Committee Chairperson Dr. Albert Changaya told The Maravi Post in an interview on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, that the center’s new technologies championed to farmers have increased production.

He was speaking during the sidelines of CAT advisory board committee that was held in the capital Lilongwe aimed at assessing the center’s work impact on smallholder farmers since 2019.

Dr. Changaya cited Salima’s groundnut farmer who used 900 kilograms of seeds that she harvested about 2.4 tones per hectare due to improved seed variety.

He however observes that many smallholders would be attracted to crop diversification if value-chain markets are available.

Mzuzu University Soil scientist Professor Elijah Wanda behind soil amendment at CAT center at NRC

“Since 2019, CAT has helped many farmers to diversify from tobacco to other crops including legumes, rice, and bananas through our demonstrations fields (smart farms) where new technologies for improved seed varieties coupled with extension services have been adopted.

“About 40, 235 farmers for 7,000 hectares have adopted new technologies resulting in 165% revenue increase per farmer and with average increase of yields production by 36%. This shows that CAT is doing great work towards uplifting smallholder farmers’ lives,” lauds Changaya.

He added, “Despite numerous challenges farmers are facing including soil degradation, high inputs cost, low extension service and among others, CAT continues partnering with government and other stakeholders to address the challenges for smallholders benefits.

“We want the Ministry of Agriculture and Trade to head up to come up with well-organised value chain market for legumes the same as tobacco, tea, coffees, and sugarcane. We want government to be a catalyst for value-chain markets for farmers’ produce. We hope that better structures can be in place for farmers to sell their produce easily”.

During this year’s national agriculture fair held on August 24-26 in Blantyre, CAT won the best service provider.

CAT gets financial support from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World through a grant managed by the foundation’s affiliate, Agriculture Transformation Initiative (ATI).

ATI is working in Malawi towards diversifying the country’s tobacco-dependent economy.

Agriculture, Business, Top News

CAT awards first Malawi’s cohort of 18 Agri-enterprises for business incubation

Lloyd M’bwana
first Malawi’s cohort of 18 Agri-enterprises for business incubation

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Center for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 awarded its 1st cohort of 18 agri-enterprises to be incubated under its Business Incubation and Commercialization Unit.

The 18 enterprises will cover several value chains including groundnuts, soybeans, apiculture, mushroom, rice, industrial hemp and livestock.

With funding from Foundation for a Smoke Free World through the Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI), CAT will disburse US$1 million ranging from US$10,000 to US$100,000 to 18 enterprises.

CAT Executive Director Macleod Nkhoma told The Maravi Post that besides investment his organisation will provide access to technical assistance, mentoring, coaching and linkage to strategic business partners amongst other support.

“The technologies range from inclusive seed multiplication models, in-grower and out-grower models to mechanization, access to markets and finance, artificial insemination, organic manure, extension SMS platform and use of mobile service for livestock insurance.

“The agri-enterprises will also access workspace, experimentation space, and demo plots at the upcoming state-of-the-art CAT campus to be based at LUANAR NRC,” says Nkhoma.

He therefore disclosed that the second cohort will access US$1.8 million combined investment value

“With the investment, we expect the ventures to completely create room for alternative to tobacco farming while offering jobs to young men and women in agri-business productions,” says Nkhioma.

One of of the awardees, Global Seeds’s Managing director Shane Phiri assured the nation of continual of producing improved and disease resistance seeds including to farmers.

Phiri said his enterprise is the main supplier of certified seeds including drought tolerant hybrid maize, groundnuts, beans, soya beans, peagon peas, cow peas and among others.

ATI Country Director Dr Candida Nakhumwa express gratitude that the initiative is baring fruits that alternatives cropping to tobacco are being ventured into for social-economic empowerment.

The Centre for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) is a hub designed to support diversification of Malawian agriculture and increase small holder revenues by inclusively easing reliance on the tobacco value chain through awareness, deployment and commercialization of demand- and data-driven research, innovations, technologies and partnerships.

To identify these agri-enterprises, CAT put out an Expression of Interest in the local newspapers and circulated the call on social media channels, this drew 181 applications from enterprises
within Malawi.

Through a rigorous proposal development, evaluation and due diligence process, CAT shortlisted 16 of the 65 enterprises to pitch to an independent investment committee comprising of value chain, finance, markets and investment experts.

CAT has an additional 5 agri-enterprises being youth who participated in the 2019 AgTech challenge.

AgTech is a science fair designed to include youth in Malawi in designing of innovations for the agricultural sector.

Last year, the students designed labour saving technologies for the groundnut value chain.

CAT will partner with 2 of the 5 enterprises to test their innovations under pre-incubation while the other 3 will undergo capacity support to develop their concepts further in readiness for partnership in 2021.

Agriculture, Top News

ATI’s FUM constructed, rehabilitated irrigation schemes excite Dedza farmers

Lloyd M’bwana

DEDZA-(MaraviPost)-Just a year after new irrigation schemes were constructed and rehabilitated at Traditional Authority (T.A) Kachindamoto in the central district of Dedza, farmers have already realized bumper harvest for commercial and consumption, thanks to Agriculture Transformation Initiative (ATI)’s funds channeled through Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM).

The intervention came after the schemes were damaged by flash floods Cyclone Idai caused in 2019 that many farmers lost farm produces.

This necessitated the need for recovery efforts that support households to build their livelihood and food security through multiple means.

The construction of Dzalanyama (10 hectors) and rehabilitation of Mgundu irrigation schemes at Mtakataka Extension Planning Area (EPA) and Gololoti EPA respectively have witnessed over 300 farmers smiling with dry season cropping.

Visiting farmers on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 that coupled with schemes handover ceremony  farmers who grew maize, vegetables including onion and tomatoes, proceeds from the production have helped them to be economically independent and food secure.

Some farmers have even built iron sheet houses, bough motor bike and saving funds for farm inputs ahead of rainy growing season.

Mgundu irrigation scheme chairperson Pierre Katola disclosed that has managed to buy motorbike and able save some funds for farm inputs ahead of rainy growing season.

Katola added that by the year 2022 will be able driving a car out of the irrigation farming.

“Just first dry growing season of 30 by 30 square meters piece, I have managed to realize funds to buy motor bike from tomatoes proceeds. Honestly, I dint expected this when we ventured into irrigation. We are much appreciation to ATI funds through FUM. FUM has helped us with quality seeds and extension services hence bumper harvest in all farmers, “excited Katola.

FUM President a Mr. Njolomole lauded farmers for adhering to extension services his organization provided for the successful first dry cropping season.

Njolomole assured farmers that FUM will do everything possible that initiative is fully supported for further livelihood improvement and food security.

ATI’s Malawi Country Director Dr. Candida Nakhumwa said rehabilitation of the two irrigation schemes align with his organization mission to prepare for a future of reduced tobacco demand.

Dr Nakhumwa says ATI is supporting the development of complementary structured value chains to make the agriculture sector globally competitive with supportive infrastructure and technologies.

“The two irrigation schemes are timely as will help farmers deal with water challenges for irrigation. Close to 500 farmers around these schemes will now be able to produce more than one crop per year, therefore improved their household food security and income,” says Nakhumwa.

With funding from Foundation for a Smoke-Free World about US$250,000 was earmarked for the project.

Agriculture, Malawi, Regional, Top News

Malawi Govt backs ATI’s crop diversification to tobacco

Lloyd M’bwana

Secretary-for-Agriculture-and-Water-Development-Grey-Nyandule-Phiri- 

 

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Government through ministry of agriculture on Tuesday rallied behind the call for crop diversification amid ant-tobacco campaign that has crippled the industry.

The backing comes following Agriculture Transformation Initiative (ATI)’s intensive campaign on crop enterprises against sole dependence on tobacco.

Secretary for Agriculture and Water Development Grey Nyandule Phiri told the two day Agenda for Agriculture Transformation Summit in the capital Lilongwe that Malawi government was in line with ATI’s agenda of crop enterprises.

Nyandule Phiri emphasized the need for gradual existing from tobacco farming reliance amid the industry’s decline.

He lauded ATI for timely intervention for providing alternatives to tobacco among local farmers.

“Despite Malawi’s 60% reliance on tobacco for its forex, it’s time we venture into other crops in case the tobacco industry dies. This is what government is encouraging for crop diversification in line with Agriculture policy and Agriculture Investment Plan.

“ATI intervention is timely and such Malawi government will support the initiative fully that our local farmers venture into bee keeping, dairy farming and others not only on tobacco,” says Nyandule Phiri.

The Agenda for Agriculture Transformation Summit has attracted agriculture experts, business captains, farmers, media and among others which is expected to end on Wednesday at Bingu International Convention Centre.

This is the first Agricultural Transformation Initiative Annual Summit with Key Stakeholders in Malawi to Discuss Economic Diversification and address challenges facing smallholder tobacco farmers as a result.

 

The Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI) is co-hosting the first annual Agricultural Transformation Summit with Palladium this week as a part of its commitment to support the diversification efforts of tobacco-dependent countries, beginning with Malawi.

The two-day summit features a series of discussions with key private sector leaders, research experts, and government officials about how the agriculture sector in Malawi can strengthen alternative value chains and the overall ecosystem.

Renowned journalist Femi Oke is moderating the event and participants discuss strategies for profitable and inclusive diversification, as well as best practices for implementing agricultural transformation.

The summit also features a pitch competition, an award ceremony, as well as the introduction of new partnerships.

The pitch competition is being led in collaboration with mHub, a local business incubator. Three young agri-preneurs (entrepreneurs who have promising agricultural ventures) to participate in a competition and panel as a first step in the design and implementation of a three-year Agri-preneur Accelerator Program that is due to launch in 2019.

Additionally, multiple announcements will be made about new initiatives that will give Malawi partners opportunities to engage with the ATI.

Among these enterprises is a partnership to help build the future human capital of Malawi’s agricultural sector with the Rotary Club of Lilongwe through scholarships to students in the Agriculture Faculty of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR).

 

“As the global demand for tobacco decreases, we believe it’s imperative to support efforts to diversify economies and lessen the reliance of smallholder farmers on tobacco. This is particularly true in Malawi where tobacco accounts for over 60 percent of the country’s total annual earnings and 13 percent of the economy as measured by the gross domestic product.” says Jim Lutzweiler, VP, Agriculture and Livelihoods, Foundation for a Smoke-Free World.

“These are very complicated issues and that’s why we have partnered with Palladium, who has vast experience in this area, to gather experts in Malawi from various sectors for this summit. We look forward to a productive two-day dialogue.”

 

“The diversification of smallholder farmers can only succeed through inclusive business models that effectively connect them to markets, finance, and technology in ways that provide much greater economic value to all actors in the ecosystem,” said Eduardo Tugendhat, Director of Thought Leadership at Palladium. “This Summit and the ATI provide an excellent opportunity to leverage existing initiatives and resources in building solutions at scale.”

To ensure Malawi’s economy can thrive despite a worldwide decline in tobacco demand and production, the ATI is working with smallholder tobacco farmers to facilitate the development of complementary structured value chains to make the agriculture sector globally competitive.

One of the ATI’s first actions was to issue a request for Expressions of Interest to operate and manage a new Center for Agricultural Transformation in Malawi. The Center’s goal is ultimately to transform the lives of Malawian smallholder tobacco farmers by leveraging innovation in agricultural science and technology.

 

In October, the ATI issued two requests for proposals (RFP) in support of additional projects in Malawi. The first RFP asks eligible private sector firms, research institutions, other interested entities, and partnerships or consortia to submit proposals that present viable market-led solutions aimed at solving current challenges for transforming smallholder agricultural livelihoods in Malawi.

The second RFP seeks to engage in a 3-year preferred collaboration with qualified research partners to provide independent program evaluation and decision-focused research support to the ATI.

The preferred partners will help nurture and promote the use of rigorous evidence by the ATI to improve its impact on smallholder tobacco farmers in Malawi.

The ATI is a core pillar of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with the purpose of improving global health by ending smoking in this generation. Recognizing that the Foundation’s mission entails an accelerated decline in global tobacco demand, the ATI aims to diversify tobacco-dependent economies.