Project News

Between 29th April and 18th May 2021, MA-SHEP conducted stakeholder meetings for 7 target districts under Blantyre and Shire Valley Agricultural Development Divisions (ADDs) in the 3rd Batch. The participants include representatives of the target farmers, buyers in the markets, agro-dealers, extension service providers. They were encouraged exchanging contacts for the future communications.

It was observed that extension staff and the representatives of the target farmer groups have deepened understanding of the SHEP Approach. For example, in Chikwawa, an agro-dealer questioned that if MA-SHEP provides any inputs such as seeds and agrochemicals for the farmers' trial. A representative of a farmer group responded that MA-SHEP had not provided any funds nor inputs. He highlighted that he tried SHEP Approach simply because he found it interesting. Following to the farmer's response, an extension staff pointed out that it was unnecessary to support the farmers in terms of funds or farm inputs because we selected the target farmer groups that already had capacity to invest by themselves.

A farmer participant, Mr. Francisco Mbuto of Ngongo group, shared that the communication with the buyers improved since he conducted market surveys. He also mentioned that he gained profits from sales of sweet potatoes. It was emphasized that following the gender training, he, who wanted a motor bike, and his wife, who wanted more cattle, jointly decided what to buy with the profits. As a result, they bought what both want, cattle, a motor bike, and iron sheets for house roofing.

While some say that COVID-19 has reduced their earnings, it was observed that some of the MA-SHEP target farmer groups tried practicing market surveys and making profits. This is a sign of farmer empowerment through the SHEP approach.

It is expected that those motivated farmers would keep developing their networks to strengthen their resilience against the risks including COVID-19 alike in the future.

presented the SHEP Approach at the Stakeholder Meeting in Chikwawa district

Farmers collected the contacts and available services from the stakeholders and tried to seek any concrete agreements of selling their produce or buying the agro-dealers with the stakeholders.

Mr. Francisco Mbuto, a member of Ng'ongo group bought a motor bike, cattle, and twenty iron sheets for his house from sweet potato production. He decided to produce sweet potato after market surveys.