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Malawi GovernmentSAPPSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME

Promoting Sustainable Good Agriculture Practices

www.sapp.mw

ISSUE 2

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME

Promoting Sustainable Good Agriculture Practices SAPP Success Stories

ContentsEditor’s note

From the National Programme Coordinator’s desk

Get to know SAPP

Main Achievements for SAPP

Fulfilling dreams through seed multiplication

Road to quality livelihood through seed multiplication

Seed multiplication changing lives

Nakoli shines in chicken pass-on programme

Seed multiplication brings joy to the elderly

Seed multiplication empowers women

Rocket stoves rock

CA rescues farmer

CA Beats Dry Spells

C A: The Oasis of hope in cases of dry spells

Farming technology improves production

Soil Fertility Management performs wonders

Double row method key to high ground nut productivity

Pit Planting Offers Hope

Small scale business pays off

Reaping From Crop Diversification

Bounties from crop diversification

Goat production complements Conservation Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture transforms Group Village Headman Kanyumbu’s life

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Editor’s Note

In this second edition of the Sustainable Agriculture Production Program (SAPP) Success Stories, we present achievements of smallholder farmers who have

adopted various sustainable good agriculture practices with the support from SAPP.

SAPP is being implemented in six districts in Malawi namely; Blantyre, Chiradzulu, Balaka, Lilongwe, Nkhotakota and Chitipa. In all those districts the programme has made significant differences in farmer’s lives in the areas of farmer adoption of sustainable good agriculture practices as well as in adaptive research and seed certification.

In this second edition, you will get a picture of how farmer’s lives have changed since the introduction of the programme. Topical areas that have been covered include; seed multiplication of ground nuts, chicken production, agribusiness and nutrition, rocket stoves, conservation agriculture, other farming technologies and crop diversification.

We hope our selection of success stories will inspire you to adopt and practice sustainable good agriculture practices which will in turn improve the country’s economic growth.

Lastly, we would like to acknowledge all the subject matter specialists who contributed to the success of the case studies, SAPP desk officers from departments of Extension, Crops, Livestock, Land resources and Agriculture Research. We would also like to thank the following editors Pauline Kaude, Jabulani Kamngonya, Mcneil Kalowekamo and Patricia Kapulula from Ministry of Information, as well as Dr. Joseph Nkhoma and Gilbert Malota from Ministry of Agriculture

Upile MahariwaKnowledge Management and Communication Specialist

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From the National Programme CoordinatorIt is a great pleasure to welcome you to this second edition of the Sustainable Agriculture

Production Programme (SAPP) success stories which has been consolidated from beneficiaries of the programme in the SAPP implementing districts. SAPP is being implemented in Chitipa, Nkhotakota, Lilongwe, Balaka, Chiradzulu and Blantyre. I am delighted to be a part of the team that is changing lives under the programme.

A lot has happened since the inception of the programme in 2012. For the first time, SAPP has disbursed close to MK300 million as grants under the window of Village Challenge Fund (VCF) to deserving 182 farmer groups benefiting a total of 6,050 households. It is my belief that proposed projects that were approved for this purpose will bring positive changes in the livelihoods of the targeted households. Let me appeal to all stakeholders at area, as well as district councils to provide the necessary support to ensure effective and efficient utilization of the allocated resources in a transparent and accountable manner.

The rainy season is almost around the corner, let me urge extension workers and departments to help farmers prepare their fields as they plan for trials, demonstrations and various seed multiplication programmes that are promoted under the SAPP programme.

The programme has procured various maize and legume seeds, as well as both basal and top fertilizers for effective mounting of demonstrations and trials, as well as legume seed multiplication. It is my sincere hope that these inputs will be used for their intended purposes. Remember that adoption of good agricultural practices is the key component of the programme.

I am also pleased to report that 227 field assistants have reported at Natural Resources College under the umbrella of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), and have so far finished the first semester. We wish them well as they pursue their studies.

I would like to thank all stakeholders that are participating in the programme. It is my hope that they will continue providing the necessary support and attention in ensuring that the programme delivers according to its objectives.

Let me also thank the team that compiled the case studies for the job well done. Let’s continue to document the impacts and lessons being learnt from the beneficiaries of the programme.

Once again, welcome to the second edition of SAPP success stories, feel free to share your thoughts and comments about the programme

Rex BaluwaNational Programme Coordinator

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The sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) is a nine year programme being implemented in six districts of Blantyre, Chiradzulu

and Balaka in the Southern Region, Lilongwe and Nkhotakota in the Central Region and Chitipa in the Northern Region. The project is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Malawi Government, and the Programme Beneficiaries.

Get to know SAPP

Programme objectives

The overall goal of the programme is to contribute to reduction of poverty and improved food security among the rural population.

Specific development objective

The specific development objective of the programme is to achieve a viable and sustainable smallholder agricultural sector employing good agricultural practices (GAPs).


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The programme has three main components namely adaptive research, farmer adoption of good agriculture sustainable practices and programme coordination and knowledge management.

Major achievements under component 1.0 include:-The programme through the Department of Agriculture Research Services (DARS) developed four legume varieties and two agronomic technologies as good agriculture practices (GAPS) which were approved by the Agricultural Technology Clearing Committee as outlined in the table below. In addition, a booklet of trial protocols to guide implementation of on-farm trials; and Adaptive Research Strategy were developed.

Technologies/varieties developed by SAPP which have been approved Technology/variety Description Specific attributesSoybean planting pattern 3 plants per station, 15 cm apart Labour saving, high yield

Groundnut planting pattern Double-row groundnut planting pattern

High yield, enhanced ground cover for weed and erosion control, rosette disease control

IT00K-126-3 Dual purpose cowpea variety High yielding, large seeded

Pan 148 Bean variety High yield, large seeded, sugar bean for int. market

Pan 924/10-4 Bean variety High yield, large seeded, sugar bean for int. market

VTT9249 Bean variety High yield, tolerant to low soil fertility, preferred colour-red, soft leaves, tolerant to angular leaf spot

Under component 2.0 the Programme promotes adoption of Good Agriculture Practices (GAPs) among the rural population. The annual Outcome Survey conducted in 2016 revealed that 72 percent of SAPP beneficiaries adopted conservation agriculture (CA) and manure making and application in the 2016/17 growing season.

The programme also recruited 227 field assistants (FAs) who’ll be trained on-the-job with Lilongwe University

of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) at Natural Resources College (NRC). Some of the main achievements under Component 2.0 include:• The programme has cumulatively

reached 169,218 households (91,571 males, 77,647 females and 4,818 youth) out of 200,000 households that are benefiting from the Programme’s inputs. This has also seen a total of 6,943 (3264 females) against the target of 10,000 lead farmers adopting

Main Achievements for SAPP

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skills in manure making, chicken and goat management, facilitation and communication skills, group formation and market oriented farm planning.

• Paid out Village Challenge Fund (VCF) cheques amounting to K293,802,380 to 182 farmer based organisations in all the six SAPP districts.

Programme Manager, George Kapelemela of Lilongwe ADD, handing over a cheque under Village Challenge Fund

• A total of 14 out of the target of 40 cooperatives have been formed representing a 35 percent achievement. These cooperatives are mainly involved in legume seed production and legume grain production.

• To effectively implement Conservation Agriculture (CA) activities, the programme through the Department of Land Resource Conservation in conjunction with Total Land Care (TLC) developed CA Guidelines. Frontline staff including farmers have been trained on the guidelines. Through the Programme, land under improved

management practices amounts to 2,601ha out of the project target of 2500ha representing 104 percent achievement.

• The programme through Total Land Care (TLC) promotes the use of improved cook stoves among farmers. 6,882 farmers are using improved stoves out of a target of 9,150 representing 75 percent achievement.

Mangani Madi using an improved stove• A total of 87 out of 141 farmer

groups of 10 members each undertook seed multiplication in 2016/17. These were supported with 36.83 metric tonnes of basic seed for various categories of leguminous crops.

• On small stock pass on programme, the programme in 2016/17 distributed goats to 1170 households (593 males and 577 females) and chickens to 1280 households (646 males and 634 females) as beneficiaries in the 2016/17.

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• Since 2015/16 season, the programme sourced and distributed 14,527goats and 23,857 chickens in all the SAPP districts. The population of goats has grown by eight percent and 41 percent for chickens. The current population of chickens is 33,642.

One of the goat Kholas under small stock pass on programme

Major achievements under Component 3.0 are as follows:

• Prepared an Exit Strategy for the programme;

• Conducted 2016/17 Annual Outcome Survey;

• Developed Programme Implementation Manual which outlines the roles and responsibilities in implementation of activities;

• Finalized Knowledge Attitude Survey report;

• Finalized preparation of accounting manual;

• Established Programme Steering Committee and conducted 2 meetings;

• The Programme consolidated two databases for all beneficiary and lead farmers;

• The programme finished the development of standardized data collecting and reporting template for the front-line staff;

• To enhance visibility, the Programme has a Memorandum of Understanding with Zodiak Broadcasting Station which airs weekly (Thursday, 2 PM) SAPP Programmes;

• The Programme produced a handbook of success stories on different SAPP interventions implemented by farmers.

• SAPP managed to support the Ministry with 22 vehicles, 75 motorcycles, 317 bicycles, 130 computers and 65 printers for improved delivery of extension service.

Some of the main challenges encountered in the course of implementation included inadequate staff at section level; mobility for lead farmers; and limited or no access to electricity for EPA staff houses leading to poor management of data at EPA level.

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Annie Paul from Balaka district is all smiles after realising her long lived

dream.The 57 year old widow has been

growing local groundnuts for a long time without tangible benefits.

Things changed in 2015/2016 growing season when she attended a field day in her village Chombe 2, organised by Ulongwe Agriculture Office with support from Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).

“What I saw during the field day aroused my interest to venture into seed multiplication,” said Annie Paul, who heads a family of eight.

Annie Paul and family pose in front of her unfinished house

Annie Paul and her family pose with groundnuts seed bags

Fulfilling dreams through seed multiplication

In 2016/2017 growing season she joined a seed multiplication group and cultivated 30 Kgs of CG7 groundnut basic seed on 0.4 ha.

Before joining the seed multiplication group she could harvest eight 50kg bags of unshelled groundnuts only from 0.4ha of land which was not enough to meet family needs. However, things improved after harvesting 33 bags of 50kgs of groundnut certified seed from the same piece of land which will be sold at MK400 per kg to registered agro dealers.

The proceeds from selling the groundnuts will be used to complete her house.

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T wenty - nine - year - old Tereza Tiopane is a farmer from Nkolosa

Village, T/A Kadewere in Chiradzulu district. She is a single mother of four who is now reaping fruits of farming through seed multiplication.

Before Tiopane started seed multiplication, she was only growing maize on 0.2 hectares of her 0.4 hectares from which she used to harvest five bags of 50kgs. Consequently, she was not able to produce enough maize for food and income.

Tiopane, a member of Tilimbike group, joined the CG7 groundnut seed multiplication programme in 2014. The group has 12 members, with 10 females and two males. She planted 7.5kgs of basic seed valued at MK11, 250 on 0.1 hectares and the proceed was 19Kgs.

The 2015/2016 growing season was memorable to Tiopane because it was the time she started registering the benefits of seed multiplication. She planted 12 Kgs of basic seed (valued at MK 18,000) and harvested 45 Kgs of certified seed which she sold to agro-dealers

Road to quality livelihood through seed multiplication

Teleza Tiopane in her groundnut field

at MK1, 200 per kg and realized MK 54,000.

From the proceeds, she used MK 20,000 to mould bricks for her house and MK 21,000 to buy fertilizer. The remaining MK 13,000 was spent on her family needs.

Tiopane is motivated to up-scale her production unit from 0.2ha to 0.4 ha.

Tiopane is thankful to SAPP and she pledges her continued participation in the Programme, with or without direct support from the project. She plans to set aside part of her expected proceeds to procure basic seed. Because of her success, some famers in her area have followed her example.

Teleza Tiopane in her groundnut field



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“I worked hard all my life, but I could only harvest enough for consumption. Thanks to the Sustainable Agriculture

Production Programme (SAPP) for introducing seed multiplication, I now

have an iron sheet roofed house.”

These are words from Wyson Namukoloma, a lead farmer and

legume seed multiplication beneficiary from Makoka Village, TA Chigalu in Blantyre. His is a story of appreciation of legume seed multiplication.Namukoloma is one of the farmers

multiplying CG7 groundnut seed variety. In the first season, 2014/15, he harvested 225 kilograms of CG7 which he sold for MK225, 000. He used the proceeds to kick-start building his house. In the following season, he harvested 120 kilograms of seed which fetched MK144, 000. The proceeds helped him extend his iron sheet-roofed house and buy 350 kilograms of maize. Namukoloma, a father of two plans to scale up his production to achieve his dream of constructing houses for rent

Seed multiplication

changing lives

akoli is a village located in Mbulumbuzi, T.A Mpama, in Chiradzulu district. In

this village there is a local chicken club known as Takondwa. The club received 150 chickens (135 pullets, 15 cocks) in 2016 under Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) on a pass-on programme basis. The club started with the membership of 15, three men and 12 women who received 10 chickens (9 pullets, 1 cock) each.

Currently, the chicken population has grown to 1,168. With each chicken valued at MK 2,500, this translates to MK 2.9 million. The club has since passed on 300 chickens to 30 beneficiaries.

In addition, the club has sold out 314 chickens from which MK 750,000 was realized. Out of this money, members have bought fertilizer, paid school feels for their children and others have bought iron sheets for roofing their houses. The club is also benefiting from manure made from the chicken droppings.

Nakoli shines in chicken pass-on programme

Wyson Namukoloma and his son pose in front of their house

A crowd admiring chickens in Nakoli Village

The club has a drug box which is well managed. Furthermore, the club has opened a bank account with one of the commercial banks and the savings help to replenish the drug stock. The club regularly vaccinates its flock and those of the surrounding villages against Newcastle disease.



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Ethel Hassan from Chisesere Village, TA Chigalu in Blantyre, has lived

part of her life in a dilapidated grass-thatched house. She endured living under this condition until the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) came to her rescue.

Through SAPP she joined a legume seed multiplication group. After she was trained, Chisesere started multiplying CG7 groundnuts in 2014. She was growing groundnuts before but never made any profits due to low yield and poor quality. Now she boasts of an iron-

Seed multiplication brings joy to the elderly

Ethel Hassan and her husband outside their house

Ethel and Justin with one of their cows

sheet roofed house which she and her husband Justin Hassan have constructed from the proceeds of ground nut seed.

In 2014/2015 growing season she harvested 350 kgs of groundnut seed which she sold for MK350, 000. In 2015/16 growing season, despite the dry spells which hit the area, she still managed to harvest 250 kgs which she sold for MK275, 000. She invested this money into the house.

Apart from seed multiplication, Hassan has two dairy cows which benefit from the groundnut haulms. The cows are a source of nutrition, income and manure.

Her success encouraged other farmers. Two female farmers joined Mwaiwadza Cooperative which was instituted by SAPP to support farmers doing seed multiplication. The grouping has 17 women and 5 men.

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In 2014/2015 growing season, Violet Mikundi of Chiradzulu district accessed

improved groundnut seed variety from SAPP. She received 7kgs basic seed of Nsinjiro groundnut variety which she planted on 0.2 ha.

Despite her area experiencing drought, she harvested and sold 55kgs for MK44, 000. She used the money to build a two bedroomed house.

In the following season, she grew CG7 groundnut variety on 0.3 ha and

harvested 156kgs of shelled certified groundnut seed which she sold at MK1, 000 per kg.

“I used to sell maize from our field in order to meet my family needs but the money was not enough. The introduction of seed multiplication has improved the income for my family,” Mikundi said.

During the third year 2016/2017 she scaled up land size to 0.4 ha. She harvested 468 Kgs and she is planning to sell at 1200MK per kg to registered agro dealers.

Violet Mikundi standing near her 2 bed roomed house (left) and burnt bricks (right)

Seed multiplication empowers women

“I used to sell maize from our field in order to meet my family needs but the money was not enough. The introduction of seed

multiplication has improved the income for my family.”

Ground nut seed multiplication field



Mangani Madi using her rocket stove

Mangani Madi’s well ventilated kitchen

Eliza cooking using an energy-saving rocket stove

The Rocket stove remains a popular intervention among households.

It uses 50 percent less firewood as compared to traditional stoves thereby saving money and protecting forests.

Stove users highlight social benefits such as reduced conflicts between spouses. Before the introduction of the stove, husbands were suspicious because wives were spending too much time out fetching firewood.

Mangani Madi, 37, of Pwitika village T/A Chadza, in Lilongwe district is one of the farmers who is using rocket stoves. Previously, Mangani was using traditional three stones open stove which consumed a lot of firewood.

Rocket stoves rock

“I worked tirelessly to search for firewood and sometimes I could buy at a higher price,” said Mangani who was trained by Total Land Care with support from SAPP.

Apart from rocket stove, she has also been trained in construction of well-ventilated kitchen.

Eliza Kalonga, 47, from Mbolongwe village T/A Chadza in Lilongwe district is another beneficiary of rocket stove.

She now spends more time caring for her children including one who has a disability.

Time saved from fetching firewood is spent on club meetings and other development activities.

Eliza Kalonga is now living a happy life and is encouraging other households to start constructing rocket stoves to save time, money and to reduce deforestation.

Although targeted stove parts are limited, there are some farmers who build the stoves anyway. Local artisans have been identified to produce metal stove accessories such as pot rests, pot skirts and stick shelves. This is one way of sustaining the intervention beyond the life of the project.

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For a person who has been trapped in the jaws of food insecurity for

a long time, finding a lasting way out is always a relief. That is the case of Enerst Chiyembekezo, who has found a breakthrough in taming food insecurity through conservation agriculture. Chiyembekezo, 35, from Phombeya Village, in Sub Traditional Authority Phalula, Balaka district, is one of the beneficiaries from the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP). “Since I learned about Good Agriculture Practices such as Conservation Agriculture from SAPP, I have improved my farming techniques and increased production,” said Chiyembekezo.He has harvested 11 bags of 50kgs of maize from 0.2ha from three bags of 50kgs on the same piece of land. After the 2016/17 growing season, Chiyembekezo, a father of three has vowed to continue practicing conservation agriculture. “With what I have achieved this year despite poor dry spells that Phalula usually experiences, I am not turning back,” said Chiyembekezo confidently.

CA rescues farmer CA beats dry spells

Maczie Gani, a farmer from Chiradzulu district has weathered adverse effects

of dry spells through practicing Conservation Agriculture (CA) advocated by the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).CA includes maximum soil cover for moisture retention. The 2015/2016 growing season was characterized by dry spells which resulted in the wilting of crops in most fields. However, Gani’s field had a healthy crop and he harvested 20 bags of 50 kgs on 0.2 ha while his neighbours harvested less. Before practicing CA, he could only harvest 5 bags worth 50 kgs under the similar weather conditions. So far, 10 farmers are following his footsteps. Gani hopes for continued better harvests that would guarantee him to open a grocery shop. He is optimistic that with this enterprise he will be able to pay school fees for his children and build a better house.

Maczie and his wife standing in frontof their house

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Elevin Kapenda, a widow of Daniel Village, TA Mwaulambya is now at peace

when she looks at her crop in the field which appears to offer her hope of enough grain for her household, thanks to Conservation Agriculture (CA).

“I was identified by an extension worker in my area to mount a CA demonstration plot in 2015/16 season. I started with a 10m by 10m plot at that time but I didn’t care much about the technology. I just took it as one of those usual practices from our extension workers.

“When a dry spell hit in my area I discovered that the 10m by 10m plot never showed any signs of water stress compared to the rest of my field. This situation got my attention. By the end of the season, I realized 2 bags of 50 kgs from the plot,” narrated Kapenda.

CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE : The Oasis of hope in cases of dry spells

Kapenda in her maize field

“I was identified by an extension worker in my area to mount a CA demonstration plot in 2015/16

season. I started with a 10m by 10m plot at that time but I didn’t care much about the technology. I just took it as one of those usual practices from our

extension workers.

After being overwhelmed with the results, she decided to upscale this technology to 1.3ha in the 2016/17 season.

“One other thing I liked about the technology is the fact that I didn’t spend much working on the 10m by 10m plot. I didn’t plough the land to make ridges. This saved my time. I did a little weeding later but not as intensively done on my other part of the field” added Kapenda.

Kapenda is expecting an increase in yield as her crops survived another dry spell that affected the area in the month of February and later towards the end of March.

“For the first time I have seen that my piece of land can give me more than what I thought is capable. This CA is really good” concluded Kapenda.

Mrs Kapenda is just one of the farmers that are benefiting from SAPP under sustainable land management practices.

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Nthondo EPA is one of

the agriculture potential areas in Lilongwe district, but farmers achieve fewer yields per hectare of maize due to i napp rop r i a t e f a r m i n g technologies.

One of the farmers who were in this predicament is Medson Kachilala of Jamisoni village.

Kachilala has been farming for six years on 3 hectares garden. His average maize production was 2,000kg.

“I am abandoning this garden because of poor soils. I am not getting what I was expecting,’’ he lamented towards the end of 2015/16 cropping season.

During the 2016/17 cropping season, the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) extended its operations in the area and Kachilala was one of the farmers trained in good agriculture practices. The knowledge that he gained from the training made him not to abandon his field.

After following all the recommended practices, his garden produced an admirable crop stand so much so that most of the field days and exchange visits were being conducted on his garden.

Farmers who attended the field days were impressed with the crop stand.

“At no time did I think that CA could beat conventional way of farming. I was getting an average of 2,000kgs but now this year I got 4,700kgs this year on the same piece of land,” he said.

Farming technology improves production

Morris Njala (left) explaining his story to an AEDO in front of his house

Morris Njala, a farmer from GVH Mbanda, T/A Kunthembwe in Blantyre, is all praises

to SAPP for affording him and his family an iron sheet-roofed house. He is one of the soil fertility management lead farmers.

During 2015-2016, he was trained by SAPP in Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) and was given 20kg of soya bean seed to incorporate into his crop rotation programme.

Njala followed all recommended agronomic practices on his 0.2 ha and harvested 175kgs of soya. He sold 50kgs and realized K42, 000 which he used to buy 15 iron sheets for roofing his house.

During 2016-2017 growing season, he acquired 5 kgs of maize seed, 25kgs NPK and 25kgs UREA fertilizer to use in his field. The season was also a success because he harvested 11 bags of 50 kg of maize.

In April 2017, Njala sold 5 bags of maize which he topped up to buy the remaining iron sheets to roof his house.

Soil Fertility Management performs wonders





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Double row versus single row demonstra-tion in Kameme EPA, Navitendo section.

Lenson Simwela, 52 lives in Nang’ambi Village, Senior Chief Kameme in

Chitipa district. As a farmer, Simwela has found a solution to low groundnut production. It is the use of double row method which he learnt after attending a field day organized by the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).

Simwela and his family used to cultivate groundnuts using single row method per ridge which resulted inlow productivity.

“I used to harvest very little using the single row method per ridge for planting groundnuts. The crop was easily attacked by aphids and there were a lot of gaps between planting stations that affected the yields.

“For example, on my 0.4 hectare piece of land I was only harvesting 12 bags of 50 kgs of unshelled groundnuts and had very little surplus for sale,” narrated Simwela.

In 2016/2017 season, Simwela was one of the farmers identified by his community to compare the effects of population density of ground nuts under adaptive research trials.

On one plot of 10m by 10m, he planted using the single row method and on the other he used the double row method.

Simwela immediately noticed the benefits.

“I have harvested 35 kgs in the double row plot against 22 kgs in the single

DOUBLE ROW METHOD KEY TO HIGH GROUND NUT PRODUCTIVITY

row even though the plot size was the same,” Simwela said.

Based on the outcome, the Simwela family and those who attended the field days have opted for the double row method.

Adaptive research trials have proved to offer a good hands-on learning experience for smallholder farmers who are skeptical of new technologies.

Simwela and the surrounding community appreciates the gained knowledge on the planting patterns for groundnuts and attributes it to the extension worker in the area with support from Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).

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For a long time, Harold Chiona has had low maize yield due to conventional farming.

But that is no longer the case because of a new farming method of pit planting championed by Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).

“I used to do conventional type of farming of making ridges on my 0.4 hectare piece of land and harvest between 12 to 16 bags of 50 kgs. This was not enough to support my family,” says Chiona of Namuliza Village TA Mwaulambya in Chitipa district.

In 2015-16 season, Chiona, 34 was trained on pit planting technology. He demonstrated the technology on a 10m by 10m plot. The crop

P i t p l a n t i n g o f f e r s h o p e

Friends of Hope Nutrition in Maloya village, Traditional Authority Likoswe

in Chiradzulu district is one of the groups that was formed to promote nutrition. Since its formation in 2013, the grouping has been embraced by the community. The group has 30 members with 28 women and 2 men.

In 2015, the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) trained the group in among others; six food group as well as income generating activities (IGAs). On the aspect of IGAs, they were specifically trained on how to prepare and market snacks, juices, lozenges and Achar.

Small scale business pays off

performed satisfactory compared to those that were planted on ridges.

“I harvested 2 bags of 50 kgs on a 10m by 10m plot which could not have been possible had I planted on ridges. Pits were able to retain moisture that’s why the crops did not wilt despite the area experiencing dry spells,” says Chiona, a husband and father of three.

Having seen the performance of the demonstration, Chiona’s family has increased the land size for pit planting to 0.4 hectares resulting in 41 bags of 50 Kgs.

Mrs Chiona in front of her pit planting field

Chiona and his wife in their field

Violet M’buka


“I used to do conventional type of farming of making ridges on my 0.4 hectare piece of land and harvest between 12 to 16 bags of 50 kgs. This was not enough to support my

family,”

20Violet M’buka, 25 years, is one of the

members who has greatly benefited from the group.

“Before joining the group, I did not

know the six food groups and had no entrepreneurial skills,” said M’buka.

According to M’buka, she makes MK10, 000 to MK15, 000 in a day and she is now able to pay for her school fees.


Matonthola and his wife in front of their produce

Godfrey Matonthola of Tafelakaso Village TA Chanthunya in

Balaka district is all smiles, thanks to Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP).

The programme is promoting adoption of good agricultural practices (GAPs).

In 2015, Matonthola, 70, attended a field day supported by SAPP where he learnt crop diversification. He applied what he learnt and the performance of the crops under the new practice was satisfactory.

Before he was introduced to crop diversification, Matonthola was growing maize only and without following good agricultural practices.

In 2015/2016 growing season, he started practicing crop diversification by growing sorghum, cow peas and maize. He harvested 9 bags of 50 kgs of sorghum and realized MK180, 000. With part of this money, he bought iron sheets and a goat.

Reaping from crop diversificationFood samples (left) and Friends of Hope Nutrition Group (right)

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In the 2015/16 growing season, Samson Chiputula of Lilongwe smiled

all the way to the market after a bumper harvest of soya and maize.

Chiputula, a farmer from Kamndaya village, sold 10 bags of soya and 25 bags of maize of 50 Kgs each. He used part of the money realized to buy an ox cart at MK360, 000.00 and 20 iron sheets at MK52, 200. 00.

Previously, he could not afford iron sheets or an ox-cart. Things turned around when the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) trained him in conservation agriculture and crop diversification.

Beaming with knowledge gained from SAPP, Chiputula grew maize on 0.4 ha field and soya on 0.8 ha field.

Chiputula and his children displaying roofing sheets and an ox-cart bought with proceeds from selling maize and soya

Bounties from crop diversification

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One of the goat Kholas

Goat production is one of the interventions that complements conservation agriculture (CA)

as testified by Tadala Goat Group of Chitungu Village, TA Kapeni in Blantyre.According to members of the group, there was low yield because of soil infertility. However, the 15 member group received 75 goats (5 per member) which are providing manure being used to improve soil fertility. “Before receiving the goats I was harvesting five bags of maize on 0.2 hectares, but after practicing conservation agriculture and applying the manure I got 16 bags on the same area despite the dry spells,” said Stivelia Ziphondo a member of the group.Mike Chingondo another group member says he used to harvest five 50kg bags on 0.2 hectares and now progressed to eight then 12 and later 18bags on the same land size despite prolonged dry spells in the village.Tadala Goat Group is one of the groups that received goats from the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) in 2012. The

goats will be passed on to other members of the community.The group started in 2012 with seven farmers (four men and three women) and has been practicing conservation agriculture with guidance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development. To sustain their operations the group is also involved in Village Savings and Loans (VSL).The group is encouraging other community members to adopt CA. The village has 233 households and the group members dream of having a village with more livestock, manure, high yield and educated children.

Goat production complements Conservation Agriculture

Mike Chingondo a member of Tadala

group member smiles posing

with his wife

“ Before receiving the goats I was harvesting five bags of maize on 0.2 hectares, but

after practicing conservation agriculture and applying the manure I got 16 bags on the

same area despite the dry spells.”

23



Village Headman Kanyumbu of Mitundu Extension Planning Area in Lilongwe West

district has seen his livelihood being transformed for the better ever since he started practising conservation agriculture.

As a community leader who also doubles as a farmer, he set a good example by providing his 10 metres by 10 metres piece of land to be used as a demonstration plot in the 2014/2015 growing season. He grew maize interplanted with soya.

He managed to harvest 82 kg of maize and 21kg for soya beans. The harvest was far beyond his expectation and he agreed with his family to adopt the conservation agriculture technology on a larger scale.

In 2014/2015 growing season, he grew maize interplanted with soya on one and half hectares. The field was well managed and two field days for the area were held right at his field.

He got 181 bags of maize and 35 bags of soya from a piece of land where he used to harvest about 72 bags of maize before.

He sold the surplus maize and soya beans and used the money to construct a burnt brick iron roofed house. He also bought an ox-cart and two donkeys.

He learnt about the conservation agriculture

technologies after attending a sensitization meeting at Mitundu Extension Planning Area in July 2014 organised by Lilongwe West district supported by the Sustainable Agricultural Production Programme (SAPP).

“Before the SAPP project in my area, many farmers including myself were not following good agricultural practices and we were food insecure. Thanks to the Government of Malawi for introducing SAPP project in my area which has improved farming,” said a proud Village Headman Kanyumbu.

He describes the 2015/2016 growing season as historic since most farmers in the area harvested low yield because of dry spell but he managed to harvest 235 bags of maize.

Farmers in the area have nickname him ‘Mlimi Wozitsata’ meaning a farmer who is able to follow good agricultural practices. Meanwhile, many farmers in the area have started preparing land to practice good agricultural practices (GAP) which SAPP is promoting in the area.

Born in 1980 and married with four children, Village headman Kanyumbu whose real name is Frank Jekita also has mango trees, pawpaws and a herbal garden. He also has chickens, ducks and doves.

GVH Kanyumbu and and his family standing at his old house and on the right is his newwly built house

Conservation Agriculture transforms Group Village Headman Kanyumbu’s life

Malawi Government

S A P PSUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME

Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development P. O. Box 30134,Capital City Lilongwe 3Malawi

Tel: +265 888 874 076Email: [email protected]

Website: www.sapp.mw

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