Beneficiaries under the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) sponsored subsidized farm inputs have hailed the programme as a real game changer which has helped them attain food security at household level.
This started with the first component of the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP I) funded by IFAD, where beneficiaries were given livestock.
In the second phase under the Response to Emergencies and Disasters (RED) component which mostly catered for emergencies and disasters, farmers were encouraged to grow maize not only for subsistence purposes only but to approach farming as a business.
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Through the initiative, maize seed is fully paid by the project meaning the farmers redeem it at zero cost while for the fertilisers, they redeem at K10, 000 in line with government’s Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP).
One of the beneficiaries Lezina Keliyasi explained that after being shortlisted as of the recipients of the subsidized inputs, preparations in her maize field started in earnest.
She confessed that previously, she was just doing farming without properly taking care of her crops and not applying enough fertilizer but now the approach is different.
“The coming in of the affordable fertilizer from SAPP II has enabled me to apply it in my maize garden this year and the expectation is that I will have a bumper harvest of not less than 80 bags.
“Here in T/A Kalumbu’s area we used to harvest maize but it wasn’t enough to last the whole year; but this time around as a family; we will have enough for consumption and some of it will be sold and we expect to do more business as SAPP II is encouraging us to create our own incomes.”
Keliyasi urged fellow farmers to be self-starters, determined and use organic manure for their crops so that they should not only rely on government support.
Senior Group Kalumbu from Traditional Authority Kalumbu in Lilongwe indicated that he is happy with the progress made among beneficiaries in achieving the desired objectives.
The chief explained that when SAPP II started in Nyanja Extension Planning Area (EPA), beneficiaries were identified from Traditional Authority level.
He stressed that duty bearers made sure that only those productive enough to engage in farming were targeted in order to bring the desired results.
Senior Group Kalumbu said he is happy with the way the programme is progressing as on a one acre piece of land, farmers expect to harvest more than 80 bags courtesy of the advice from extension staff encouraging farmers to follow recommended agriculture methods.
In the past, some beneficiaries used to sell the inputs which he attributed to right people being missed out and noted that some of them were related to chiefs and these also included people with no interest in farming.
Some of the beneficiaries picked were those who were into betting and drinking locally brewed beer known as kachasu, a development which was not bringing the desired results.
“Following that experience, chiefs were called upon to choose those who are energetic enough and with an interest in farming but lacking the capacity to buy fertilizer and going forward, those picked this time around are the right ones.”
He called on his subjects to be involved in farming activities in order to achieve food security and as an income generating activity through irrigation to grow maize, tobacco, legumes and other crops.
“I want everyone from my area to be involved in farming and not to be beggars. It’s shameful to fight for relief maize which comes from DODMA and this has to end and I therefore call on people from T/A Kalumbu to become farmers and not to be lazy”