Empowering Farmers: The Success Story of Mvunguti Club in Chikwawa District
In Chikwawa district, members of Mvunguti Club, engaged in both livestock and crop farming, express gratitude towards the NCA/DCA Country Joint Programme for enhancing their farming practices.
The club, known for cultivating vegetables through micro-drip irrigation and rearing goats through micro-investment livestock production acknowledges the program’s impact in improving their agricultural endeavours.
Initially lacking knowledge in optimizing their farming activities and striking a balance between crop and livestock farming, members like Peter Symon from the branded Mpanda Number 40 Mvunguti club which has 15 members from Chideya village, T/A Ngabu highlights the transformative effect of the program.
Symon credits NCA/DCA through NANSEN grant for enlightening them on innovative sheltering techniques for goats, enabling them to utilize goat manure effectively in their farms.
“Additionally, we were educated on irrigation methods tailored to the local landscape, enhancing our agricultural productivity with newfound knowledge and skills,” says Symon who adds that they are optimistic about increasing their goat population from 75 to 200 by 2025.
He emphasizes the importance of diligence, commitment, and patience in achieving farming success, stressing that profits require sustained effort.
The micro-investment livestock production which is not a livestock pass-on aims at comercializing the livestock value chain and it targets organized and performing farmer groups.
Reacting to the development, NCA/DCA Country joint Programme Agro-technician for Chikwawa district Emmanuel Mabedi, echoes Symon’s optimism, foreseeing improved profits in the near future.
Addressing previous challenges such as low goat prices in the markets, Mabedi advises farmers to wait for better market conditions, anticipating favorable pricing dynamics.
He however encourages other households who are not in farmer groups, to formulate the groups so that they too can benefit from the project.
The NCA/DCA’s Faith in famers: boosting local production for food security in Malawi project which is funded by NORAD through NANSEN grant benefits approximately 1,200 farmers in Chikwawa district, reflecting the program’s significant impact in enhancing agricultural practices and livelihoods in the community.
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