Project News

The field visit to Nkhotakota district by the MA-SHEP Joint Coordinating Committee (JCC) members and the 5th JCC meeting were held in Salima on 10th and 11th October, 2019, respectively.

Prior to the JCC meeting, MA-SHEP organized the field visit by the JCC members in Nkhotakota on 10th October. About 20 members visited the 1st Batch target group called Chitsanzo Irrigation Club. At the field, the chairperson of the club explained that "We made contracts with secondary schools for selling tomato and mustard leaves through the market survey conducted. The selling prices of vegetables have increased by several times and our sales as a group is MK1.3million so far. But our target of this season is MK2million." He presented with confidence on how they were motivated and changed their way of farming by the series of MA-SHEP activities. It was a good opportunity for JCC Members to hear the real voice from the field.

On the following day, the 5th JCC Meeting was held in Salima. In the welcome remarks, Mr. Kito, the Resident Representative of JICA Malawi office, congratulated the Ministry for participating in the SHEP side event of the TICAD 7 in Yokohama and shared the information of a joint declaration for achieving better lives for one million small scale farmers through SHEP approach which was made at the event. Afterwards, MA-SHEP reported the progress of the project activities (from March to October, 2019) and the plan of project activities (from November to March, 2019). Based on the project report, the JCC members endorsed that MA-SHEP will implement its programme in Blantyre and Shire Valley Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs) as the 3rd batch implementing areas.

At the closing remarks, Mr. Nelson Mataka, the Head of National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) secretariat, who chaired the JCC meeting stated that "MA-SHEP is a small project compared to other programmes. However, as I observed since yesterday, the impact generated by this project is stunning and how farmers are motivated and changed are remarkable, I am fully convinced that MA-SHEP has helped Malawi a lot. I can officially confirm that this project should be ranked as No.1 project in Malawi."

JCC Members being briefed at Chitsanzo Irrigation Club

Group photo at the field of Chitsanzo Irrigation Club

Mr. Nelson Mataka, the Head of NAIP who served as Chairperson of the 5th MA-SHEP JCC Meeting (Right) and Mr. Kito, the Resident Representative of JICA Malawi Office (Left)

Group photo of the 5th MA-SHEP JCC Members