Kalichero Village in the interiors of Dowa District has everything to make it a model village to emulate.
Its rise dates back to 2022 when village head Kalichero linked his farming community with the National Association of Smallholder Farmers in Malawi (Nasfam) Innovation and Productivity Centres (IPCs).
The rural community under Traditional Authority (T/A) Dzoole specialises in crop production, animal husbandry and bee-keeping buoyed by takings from their village savings and loans (VSL) groups.
Kalichero says before forming a farmers club through Mponela Association, which is under a Nasfam IPC in the area, crop harvests were dwindling due to overuse of recycled seeds, poor agricultural practices, barren soils and climate change.
“We didn’t have any idea that recycled seeds reduce harvests and we were just farming without any expert guidance from agricultural extension officers. We thought everything was normal until Nasfam arrived and rallied us to form a club,” he says.
The groups have enhanced access to agricultural tips, inputs, markets and capital.
“With Nasfam, we get quality seed through a seed bank programme and pay back at an interest,” says the village head.
The smallholder farmers boast of rising profits as they now negotiate for better prices.
As they farm and sell their produce under Nasfam, some are building decent homes, buying motorcycle and acquiring cattle, goats, pigs and chicken.
Some members of the group received two goats each through a pass-on programme.
The animals have multiplied and even those who had no dream to own one now have some.
Ntchisi IPC coordinator Henderson Chikanaulanga works with 5 616 farmers across four extension planning areas in Ntchisi and Dowa districts.
He says the nationwide association helps smallholder farmers’ groups identify warehouses and off-takers for their produce.
“When they sell individually, they don’t benefit much,” he says. “We encourage them to bring their produce together and we find markets for them. Sometimes, we buy from them.”
Tithandizane VSL secretary Anesi Chikonzi says Kalichero Club members affiliated to the group access soft loans for business enterprises and pressing needs.
“Most of us are doing businesses financed by borrowings from our savings and loans groups. With the proceeds from these businesses, we care for our families while repaying the loans,” she says.
The club has also empowered the youth in Kalichero Village to venture into bee-keeping.
The honey production enterprise generates income which members borrow to buy farm inputs, invest in irrigation farming and boost their individual businesses.
Mponela Association is working with the youth group to add value to their honey for greater profits.
“Nasfam already supports some farmers involved in honey value addition. We want these young entrepreneurs to be part of this initiative. We have assessed them and they are capable of producing and supplying more honey,” says the association’s field officer Kufika Adriano.
