The Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) II has underscored the need for research which responds to farmer’s needs such as availability of markets for them to sell their produce.
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SAPP II National Programme Coordinator Rex Baluwa said the research will also ensure that both producers and buyers are satisfied with the quality of crops that the farmers are bringing to the market.
The seven-year project funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is being implemented in four districts of Lilongwe, Balaka, Mzimba and Dowa.
Through the project, a market analysis is being done with the aim of coming up with appropriate data that defines the value chains to invest in, looking at varieties and quality of the produce.
“As a project, we’ll make sure that once we’re informed about what the off takers are looking for, we should make sure that we communicate that to the researchers so that the research answers to the needs of the market.
“What we want through this market is that when the farmers are adopting the technologies, when they’re boosting their production at least they should have a market which is readily available and the off takers should also be happy with the quality that the farmers are bringing to the market” said Baluwa
He made the remarks during an agriculture field day where the Department of Research at the Chitedze Research Station showcased various technologies and practices to the farming community in Dowa using Mega farm demonstrations.
Among others, the project intends to provide a platform where all players can interact giving researchers’ opportunity to plan and farmers to speak on the challenges they are facing.
Despite the dry spells which hit some of the districts in the country, Baluwa noted that the crop stand at the demonstration plot was impressive; an indication that the technologies on display are having a positive impact.
“In SAPP II we’ll make sure that all the farmers around these areas come to this mega demo, appreciate what is happening here and next year with this mega demo replicated in all the four districts that I mentioned, I’m sure we’ll have a greater impact and also in terms of adoption most of the farmers will have a chance to practice and hopefully adopt what is being displayed here”
Moses Banda a sunflower producer from Ngalavuka village in Dowa was one of the farmers present during the field day and confessed that in the past not many growers were aware of the benefits of the crop, but now this has changed through extension services.
From his one hectare piece of land, he has managed to get 3500 kilogrammes of hybrid sunflower which matures within 90-100 days as compared with the local one where from the same one hectare, he gets about 400-500 kilogrammes.
He noted that despite many farmers showing interest in growing the crop, the major challenge is where to get the seed.
“My plea to the government is that they need to help us boost the growing of this crop by making sure that the seed is readily available. We also lack the necessary infrastructure for milling of the crop.
“It was difficult to find the mills to help in processing of the crop. Recently, there was a milling plant which we are using to process the crop. However there’s still need to have one within Chisepo EPA which farmers can be using”
Besides boosting farmer’s incomes, the crop also helps in promoting healthy lifestyles.
