Tit u k u k e

di n ASWAP-SP II
Issue 4 Quarterly online Magazine for AGRICULTURE SECTOR WIDE APPROACH – SUPPORT PROJECT II

What’s Inside ....

BANANA PROPAGATION SOYA BEAN PASS-ON PROGRAM
PROGRAM IN MZIMBA RESTORES HOPE, CREATES
IMPRESSIVE BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS
ASWAp-SP II EMPOWERS FOR FARMERS IN KASUNGU
FARMERS TO MULTIPLY HIGH ASWAp-SPII IN MARKET ACCESS
NUTRITIVE CASSAVA VARIETIES ENDEAVOR
GOING THE EXTRA MILE ASWAp-SP II INVESTING
IN LABOUR SAVING IN ROOT AND TUBER
TECHNOLOGIES - FERTILISER CROPS THROUGH SEED
APPLICATOR MULTIPLICATION
ASWAp-SPII ROLLS OUT IMPROVED RURAL ROADS
THE AGRICULTURE MARKET EASING TRANSPORTATION OF
INFORMATION SYSTEM FARM PRODUCE
USE OF MANURE IN MAIZE ASWAp-SPII MEETING
PRODUCTION DOUBLES YIELD FARMERS’ LEGUME SEED
BIO-FERTILISER TRIALS DEMANDS
PROMISING INCREASED YIELD FARMERS FROM NOWA MKOCHI
IN MAIZE PRODUCTION VILLAGE BENEFITING IN
VILLAGE SAVINGS AND LOANS, HOUSEHOLD APPROACH
A USEFUL TOOL IN FOOD ASWAp-SPII GEARED TO
DIVERSIFICATION RESTORE BANANA INDUSTRY IN
ZINTHONGA MODEL VILLAGE MALAWI
TAKES PRIDE IN SOYA BEAN
PASS ON PROGRAM

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Editor’s Note
W elcome to this edition
of Titukuke ndi
ASWAp-SP II newsletter.
In this edition of Titukuke
ndi ASWAp-SP II newsletter,
we present some of the
achievements of smallholder
farmers in the country
following support from
ASWAp-SPII among other
news.
ASWAp-SPII has made
significant differences in
the lives of farmers through
interventions such as banana
macro-propagation, seed
multiplication, improvement
of rural roads and modern
agriculture technologies,
among others. In this edition,
you will get a picture of how
these and other interventions
are helping farmers to
achieve food, income and
nutrition security.
We are hopeful that this
newsletter will inspire you,
our dear readers, and the
entire farming community
to take appropriate action
towards transforming the
country’s agriculture sector.
For more information, follow
Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II
programs on MBC Radio and
MBC Television. You can also
follow us on our website
www.aswap.mw, on Facebook,
Twitter, and Instagram.
Enjoy your reading!
2 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
BANANA PROPAGATION PROGRAM IN
MZIMBA IMPRESSIVE
By Khalani Makunje
T he benefits of bananas to
the farmer and everyone are
multifaceted. Matured green
bananas are in some parts of
the country cooked and eaten
as a staple. When ripen, they are
eaten as fresh fruit very rich in
vitamins. Bananas make good
sales on the market and their
demand is high, as such they are
also grown as a cash crop.
Banana production in Malawi
has for almost a decade now
been declining and threatened
to extinction by the occurrence
of Banana Bunchy Top Disease
(BBTD) which is caused by the
Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV).
BBTD has spread to almost all the
areas and districts where bananas
are grown in the country. This has
disturbed the lives of farmers
who heavily depend on the crop
for food, nutrition and income
security.
“Bananas assist us a lot. When
our fields were attacked and
destroyed by BBTD, we were
stranded and hopeless. We didn’t
know what to do and were facing
challenges to meet some basic
needs of our lives,” laments
Martha of Mawira village under
Mkosi of Loti Moyo model village
in the area of Traditional Authority
(T/A) Mthwalo in Mzimba North.
In a bid to restore the banana
production and bring back
the industry in the country,
the second Agriculture Sector
Wide Approach Support Project
(ASWAp – SPII) is supporting the
propagating of clean banana
suckers at different designated
areas and sites in the country
such as Lunyangwa Research
Station in Mzimba. The disease
free suckers are distributed to
community propagating fields and
further to individual farmers to
plant in their respective fields.
According to Zondwani
Munyenyembe, who is a Banana
Technician at the station, the
station has a mother orchard with
clean banana planting materials
where they get corms which are
prepared for planting in humidity
chambers for propagation.
“When the suckers start
sprouting, we first kill the primary
suckers and they will give us
secondary suckers. We take the
secondary suckers into tubes and
harden them off in the chamber
for two weeks. They are taken
out for another two weeks and
then given to farmers ready for
planting,” explains Munyenyembe.
To make sure that the suckers
which are planted in the mother
orchard are free from BBTV,
they are first taken to Chitedze
Research Station for the virus
indexing and are planted when
they are found clean. Farmers
are also advised to observe 100
meters isolation distance from
other existing banana fields to
protect the clean plants.
Lunyangwa Research Station
Manager Tony Harris Maulana,
says ASWAp-SPII has greatly
assisted in the restoration of the
banana industry in the northern
region and the country at large.
According to Maulana, the station
multiplies the clean banana
planting materials in three ways.
“ASWAp-SPII has helped us a lot
in restoring the banana industry.
We multiply clean planting
material in different ways; first, we
use tissue culture lab which we
have here at Lunyangwa. Second,
we use the corm system. We either
use split corm or whole corm
technique to produce suckers. The
other way is that we are increasing
the hectarage so that we can get a
lot of suckers from there. We have
at the moment eight hectares
for banana plantation where we
station with 300 corms on each
bed. This means through this Ministry Grateful to
method alone, the station is
producing over 15, 000 suckers Donor Community
in every quarter of the year. The
station propagates four banana
on Agricultural
varieties of Nzeru, Mulanje,
William and Grand Nine according
Investment through
ASWAp-SPII
to farmers’ demand.
One of the community nurseries
which the station has established
is at Loti Moyo Model Village,
under Zombwe Extension Planning By Christopher Joseph
Area (EPA), where clean banana
planting materials are multiplied
and shared among farmers to
plant in their respective fields.
The nursery has 208 clean banana
plants and 64 farming households
within the area have already
gotten clean suckers from the
nursery.
The farmers got the clean
planting materials from
Lunyangwa Research Station and
further propagate them and share
among members of the model
village on pass on program while
selling to non-members at K1, 500
per sucker.
Members in the village commend
ASWAp-SPII for the initiative
saying it has assisted to restore
the lost glory of banana farming Erica Maganga
in the area. Martha Mkosi has Secretary for Agriculture
received clean suckers and has
established her nursery where

harvest the suckers and then
distribute to farmers,” he said.
He further added that the
station has community nurseries
in model villages where farmers
manage the farms and share the
planting materials to plant in
their gardens. The station has also
established humidity chambers in
the model villages where farmers
produce suckers using split or
whole corm.
Through macro propagation
with corms, every three months
each corm produces over 25
suckers. There are two beds in
the chamber where propagation
is currently being done at the
3 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
she is multiplying and selling the
suckers.
“Before ASWAp-SPII, we had no
bananas here following the attack
by BBTD. But when the community
nursery was established I got
suckers from there and started
my own nursery where I am
multiplying and selling the
suckers. This has given hope for
the restoration of banana farming
in this area,” she said.
Government and the donor
community continue to support
farmers through different
initiatives and projects to revamp
and restore the banana industry
in Malawi.
T
he Ministry of Agriculture
has thanked the multi-
donor community for its
agricultural investment
support towards the Ministry
through Agriculture Sector
Wide Approach-Support
Project II (ASWAp-SPII).
The Ministry’s Principal
Secretary, Erica Maganga said the
support has been essential in the
Ministry’s field activities.
She therefore, thanked the
partners for the additional
financing they will be providing to
the Malawi government through
ASWAp-SPII in the Ministry of
Agriculture.
 ASWAp-SP II EMPOWERS FARMERS TO MULTIPLY HIGH
NUTRITIVE CASSAVA VARIETIES
By Tuchitechi Hawonga

“ “We took very good care of our

crop, it grew so well. We never
used fertilizer in our crop, but
instead, we managed to buy
some bags from the profits we
made to support other crops
we grow -Elizabeth Gondwe

Kingsley Nyirongo and family inspecting their cassava crop

A griculture Sector Wide

Approach-Support Project
II (ASWAp-SP II) through
Lunyangwa Research Station
distributed cassava cuttings to
farmers in Mzimba North and
Mzimba South districts with
an aim of empowering them
while cushioning the effects of
climate change.
Manyamula in Mzimba
South is one of the areas in
the district where rains are
sometimes erratic such that the
area is prone and sometimes
hit by dry spells.
In the 2018/19 growing
season, ASWAp-SP II through
4 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
Lunyangwa Research Station
in collaboration with Mzimba
South District Agriculture Office
distributed cassava cuttings for
multiplication to two farmers in
Manyamula Extension Planning
Area (EPA).
One of the first beneficiaries
of the programme, Kingsley
Nyirongo and his family, hailed
the programme as he indicated
that they were assured of
harvesting seed and tubers for
food and income at the end
of the season regardless of
climatic conditions.
“We felt very safe and certain
because cassava is drought
tolerant. We indeed harvested
both the stem for seed and
tubers for food as well as
income,” elaborated Kingsley.
The farming family was given
82 bundles of Mbundumali
cassava variety which they
planted in their 1.5-hectare
land under supervision of the
Seed Services Unit of the
Department of Agricultural
Research Services (DARS).
Mbundumali variety is rich
in vitamin A among other
benefits.
The family planted the cassava
in 2018/19 growing season.
They were oriented on all
husbandry practices concerning
the crop. The cassava did well
and managed to produce over
700 bundles of cassava cuttings
(1 meter long). The seed was
bought by Lunyangwa Research
Station in February 2021 and
redistributed to other farmers in
Mzimba and other districts.
Kingsley and his family realized
a profit of over MK700, 000.00
from the cassava cuttings,
and over MK200, 000.00 from
selling cassava tubers.
“We took very good care
of our crop, it grew so well.
We never used fertilizer in our
crop, but instead, we managed
to buy some bags from the
profits we made to support
other crops we grow,” narrated
Elizabeth Gondwe, wife to
Kingsley Nyirongo.
“Apart from income, we
benefited from cassava leaves
for relish, tubers for breakfast
and kondowole for nsima,” she
added.
Kingsley and family added one
more cow to their flock, opened
up a shop where groceries
are sold and managed to pay
One of the cattle was bought after selling cassava seed
5 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
school fees for their children.
Matthias Nyirongo is the ASWAp-SPII
firstborn son in the family.
He was given a share of the Hailed for Its
profit that the family made. He
currently operates a butchery
Contribution
where goats and pigs are
slaughtered. Matthias plans to
towards the
build his own house and buy a National Agriculture
motorcycle from his business.
“If my parents decide to quit Investment Plan
cassava seed multiplication By Christopher Joseph
today, I will surely take over.
The crop is the best, it has
changed my life,” added
Matthias.
ASWAp-SP II supports
crop diversification through
diversified seed systems by
among other things making
sure that farmers are able to
access clean planting material
for vitamin A enriched and
high quality cassava varieties
and sweet potatoes, which
are highly productive and
drought resilient, through rapid
multiplication and decentralized
multipliers.
Nelson Mataka - Head of NAIP
T he Agriculture Sector
Wide Approach- Support
Project II has been recognized
for its impact in the National
Agriculture Investment Plan
(NAIP).
NAIP head, Nelson Mataka
said ASWAp-SPII has
performed well in terms of
contributing towards the
achievement of the NAIP
objective which is to transform
the agricultural sector among
rural farmers from being
subsistent to commercial
farming.
Mataka said the project is
improving the quality of life
and creating an environment
necessary for agriculture
growth and the nation’s
economic development.
 Going the Extra Mile in Labour
Saving Technologies - Fertiliser
Applicator
“
This fertilizer
applicator reduces
the cost of
production at the
same time reducing
the time it takes to
apply fertilizer
- Kasonda.
Kasonda demonstrating how the fertiliser applicator works
A gricultural mechanization
is required to reduce farm
drudgery thereby contributing
to improving production and
productivity. In light of this,
the Department of Agriculture
Research Services (DARS)
has gone the extra mile by
developing a hand operated
fertiliser applicator.
According to Gift Kasonda, a
research scientist at Chitedze
Research Station, the fertilizer
applicator is one of the labour
saving technologies in the
6 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
By Maxwell Kupatsa
application of fertilisers and will
benefit farmers in the country.
“This fertilizer applicator
reduces the cost of production at
the same time reducing the time
it takes to apply fertilizer,” said
Kasonda.
The Agriculture Sector Wide
Approach-Support Project II
(ASWAp-SPII) through DARS
is investing in agricultural
technologies with the aim of
boosting agricultural productivity
among smallholder farmers in
the country.
ASWAp-SPII
Pledges
Commitment
towards Rural
Farmers’ Cause
By Christopher Joseph
Most farmers are practicing the
“
technologies and benefiting
from them, because we have
observed an improvement in
terms of yield per unit area
Henry Msatilomo
ASWAp-SP II Project Coordinator
T he Agriculture Sector Wide
Approach-Support Project
II (ASWAp-SPII) has pledged
its commitment towards the
enhancement of improved
technology adoption by rural
farmers in the country.
In his words, ASWAp-SPII
project coordinator, Henry
Msatilomo said the project has
brought mindset change among
the farming communities, as
many farmers are now making
use of the technologies brought
by the project in their farming.
“Most farmers are practicing the
technologies and benefiting from
them, because we have observed
an improvement in terms of yield
per unit area,” he explained.
USE OF MANURE IN MAIZE PRODUCTION DOUBLES YIELD
O scar Malama Ng’oma has
always dreamed of driving
his own car one day. For several
years, it appeared he could
not realize the dream but he
never let it die. It is until 2021
that his dream has come true
after buying a brand new
Toyota Serena with proceeds
he realized from maize sales
following an increase in yield
due to the use of manure.
Ng’oma, from Johnston Model
Village, group village headman
Johnston in the area of Traditional
Authority (T/A) Simlemba in
Kasungu has been a farmer
for several years. He has been
practicing conventional farming
methods until the Agriculture
Extension Development Officer
(AEDO) of the area introduced him
and the entire village to modern
farming practices with support
from the second Agriculture
Sector Wide Approach Support
Program (ASWAp – SPII).
“We have been farmers for
several years but it was until
ASWAp – SPII came and taught us
good agricultural practices that
we started getting bumper yields.
Among other things which we
were taught is planting one maize
seed per station, making and
7 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
using manure in maize production
and searching for markets to
sell our produce at competitive
prices,” explains Ng’oma.
The making and use of manure
in maize production have proven
to be more effective among
farmers in the village evidenced
by increased harvests with more
than double in some cases. One
good example is that of Oscar
Ng’oma who used to harvest
around 120bags of 50kilograms
each before he started
systematically applying manure
in his 2.5 hectares maize field, but
things changed when he started
using manure.
“I used to harvest 120 bags from
the field you are seeing here
before ASWAp – SPII taught us
how to make and apply manure
in our fields. But from 2018, since
I started applying manure, I
have never harvested less than
250 bags from the same field.
For example in the 2019-2020
season I harvested 263 bags of 50
kilograms each,” Ng’oma said.
In the past three seasons,
Ng’oma has managed to construct
two decent houses and has this
year bought a saloon car. He sold
his 263 bags of maize at MK150.00/
kg and used MK1.8 million of the
By Khalani Makunje
proceeds to pay for the car which
he bought from Japan in January
this year (2021). Ng’oma says he
paid the vehicle’s duty and other
charges with proceeds he got from
soya bean sales.
“I first paid MK1.8 million from
the money I got after selling
maize and then used proceeds
from soya beans to clear the
vehicle. Here I am, my dream of
having a car has come true. This
is all because of what we have
been learning and doing through
ASWAp-SPII”, he says with a smile.
The farmers in the village say
that manure is easy and cheap
to produce and this reduces
the cost of production thereby
increasing profits. According to the
farmers, manure also preserves
soil moisture such that crops
are able to survive during dry
spells. The farmers also like that
manure improves soil fertility and
structure, a factor that contributes
to increased crop productivity.
ASWAp - SPII supports the
initiative to assist farmers to
improve crop productivity and
achieve food, nutrition and
income security at household,
community and national levels.
 Bio-Fertiliser Trials Promising Increased Yield in
Maize Production
By Maxwell Kupatsa

Mwafulirwa on one of the bio-fertiliser trial plots

S cientists at Chitedze
Research Station are doing
a commendable work in
“I can now differentiate in terms
of maize growth and yield. In the
field where I used inoculant, the
the outcome of the trials, she says
the bio-fertiliser will help her to
maximize yields, reduce production
conducting bio-fertiliser trials maize plants were growing with cost and increase profits.
in maize production. The maize vigor. You can even see that the ASWAp-SPII through the
bio-fertiliser has proved to be plant is producing two cobs per Department of Agricultural
cost-effective and ecologically stalk.” Research Services is supporting
friendly, offering a guarantee Violet Savala, a commercial bio-fertiliser trials in maize with
for sustainable agricultural farmer in the same district an aim of increasing yield while
production. performed the bio-fertiliser trials enhancing the resilience of
Samuel Mwafulirwa, a research on her one acre field. Having seen agricultural production systems.
scientist at Chitedze says farmers
will benefit from the bio-fertiliser
through increased maize yield and
reduced cost of production.
“One sachet of this maize
inoculant displaces one bag of
NPK fertiliser. At the end of the day,
what a farmer is required to buy is
only Urea,” said Mwafulirwa.
Farmers are also taking part
in the trials of the soon-to-be
recommended bio-fertilizer.
Welloman Madzi, a farmer from
Mpingu Extension Planning Area
(EPA) in Lilongwe participated in
the trials. He says:

Savala admiring the crop in a field where bio-fertiliser was used

8 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4

VILLAGE SAVINGS AND LOANS,
A Useful Tool in Food Diversification
I nsufficient diversification of
agriculture production and
food consumption remains
a challenge in addressing
malnutrition in Malawi. The 2021
cost of hunger survey estimated
that the annual cost associated
with child undernutrition in
Malawi is 10.3% of the gross
domestic product (GDP)
equivalent to MK147 billion (567
million USD). In view of this, a
multi-sectoral approach that
increases and diversifies food
production and consumption
among the population is
required to address this
imbalance between agriculture
and nutrition.
Against this background,
the Agricultural Sector Wide
Approach-Support Project II
(ASWAp-SP II) is promoting
9 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
Tigwirizane club during one of their weekly
meetings
diversified crop production
systems to among other things
promote food, income and
nutrition security of households.
Among these systems is the
Integrated Homestead Farming
(IHF) which promotes nutrition
by enabling the production
of vegetables, fruits, poultry,
livestock and fish within the
homestead.
Kantuwale Model Village in
Kasungu is one of the villages
that are practicing IHF with
support from ASWAp-SP II. These
farmers formed Tigwirizane
Village Savings and Loans (VSL)
club to increase their income
and enable themselves to
easily buy small stock with an
aim of improving production
and consumption of diversified
nutrition foods.
By Zodwa Munthali
The chairperson of the group
Charity Khosa explained that
a participatory rural appraisal
which was conducted in 2018
with help from ASWAp-SPII
revealed that the major problem
in the area was soil infertility
and this lead to food insecurity.
In order to curb the problem, a
work plan was developed and
IHF immerged as one of the
technologies that were needed
in the area.
“Initially, Tigwirizinane club
was formed to help us find
enough income to buy poultry,
small stock and other needs
in addition to our backyard
gardens. But I am glad to
inform you that we have not
only managed to improve our
nutrition, we have also managed
to build houses from the club,”
said Khosa.
 She explained that the club,
which has 14 members with only
one male, meets every week
where K2, 500.00 is contributed
towards savings plus another
K100.00 for social welfare.
Throughout the months, from
January to October, members
are free to get loans payable
after a month at an interest of
20%. She said the loans and the
money they receive at the end
of the year have tremendously
transformed their households.
Now they can easily afford
balanced diets including other
necessities. In addition to that,
as a group. they have three
goats, four pigs and 24 chickens
which will equally be distributed
after multiplying.
Eliza Mkandawire who is also
a member of the club could not
hide her happiness. “You see,
before this group we were not
taken seriously in our homes but
now we have proven that women
can also develop their homes
if they are given a chance. I can
proudly say that through this
group I have six pigs, 12 goats
and several chickens,” said
Mkandawire.
She added that they eat meat
and eggs whenever they want to
and they also sell when the need
arises.
Another member, Triphonia
Gumbo who is also the treasurer
for the group said that the good
thing about IHF is that they can
easily find various nutritious
foods within their homestead,
free of charge without going to
the market and this also gives
them enough time to do other
things. Additionally, after meeting
their needs surplus produce can
also be sold to increase their
incomes.

Zinthonga Model Village

Takes Pride in Soya Bean Pass on Program
By Maxwell Kupatsa

Some of Zinthonga model village farmers in their soya bean field

F armers in Zinthonga model

village in Kasungu district
have intensified the production
of soya beans following
soya bean pass on program
championed by ASWAp-SPII.
The village has seen a surge
in farmers diversifying into
soya bean production, a step
forward towards achieving food,
nutrition, and income security.
Kozeni Nyirongo, a Lead Farmer
in the model village says more
farmers are into soya beans
production as a result of their
soya bean pass on program.
“At first, we planted soya bean
seed on a one hectare field.
From the harvest, 74 follower
farmers benefitted through
pass on program. This season
(2020/2021), which is our second
year of production, all the 74
farmers have grown soya beans
in their fields,” says Nyirongo.
ASWAp-SPII is promoting access
to improved inputs including
legume seed with the aim of
improving crop productivity and
diversification.

10 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4

 SOYA BEAN PASS-ON PROGRAM RESTORES HOPE, CREATES
BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS FOR FARMERS IN KASUNGU
By Tuchitechi Hawonga

Soya bean seed harvested from Michael Ng’oma’s field

F or almost 10 years, Michael

Ng’oma and his family have
been tirelessly cultivating
totally different now. ASWAp-SP
II has completely changed our
story,” explained Ng’oma.
Model Village, Group Village Head
(GVH) Johnstone, Traditional
Authority (T/A) Simlemba in
soya beans to earn a living, Ng’oma’s family is one of the 355 Kasungu district.
however, the income always farming households of Johnstone In the 2018/2019 growing season,
fell short. Profits were never
enough to cater for the family’s
basic needs. This was due to
unavailability of improved soya
bean seed varieties, and poor
crop husbandry practices among
other reasons. Before the family
thought of branching out into
another crop, the Agriculture
Sector Wide Approach-Support
Project II (ASWAp-SP II) soya
bean pass-on program came to
their rescue.
“I have indeed been cultivating
soya beans with my family for
almost 10 years now. We used
to plant uncertified seed and
we never followed any modern
farming technologies, as such our
yields were always poor. We could
harvest less than 10 bags from
our two-hectare field. Things are
Michael Ng’oma and his wife Mercy Chizimba
11 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
ASWAp-SP II introduced the
soya bean pass-on program in
Mkanakhoti Extension Planning
Area (EPA), Kapopo section where
the Model Village is located. In
this season, Jessy Magawa, one of
the farmers in Johnstone village
was given 50kg of Makwacha
variety seed to multiply. She
cultivated the seed on her one-
hectare field. Due to poor rains,
Jessy managed to harvest only 16
bags of the seed weighing 50kgs
each. The seed was distributed
to 16 farming households in
the village, Michael Ng’oma
and his family were among the
beneficiaries.
“We were excited to be among
the few farming households who
benefited from the program, we
pledged to take good care of
the seed to benefit others too,”
explained Ng’oma.
In the 2019/2021 growing season,
Michael and his family planted
the 50kgs seed on their one-
hectare field. They followed good
husbandry practices as directed
by agriculture extension workers
and managed to harvest 61
bags weighing 50kgs each. They
are certain that the yield will
keep increasing as they are still
improving their
farming.
“We planted
soya beans in
double rows,
ridges were
made 75cm
apart with two
planting rows
spaced at 10cm
apart, planting
stations were
made 5cm The cattle Michael and family bought after
apart,” narrated selling soya beans
Mary Chizimba, wife to Michael
Ng’oma. This year, 2020/2021 growing
The family sold the harvest to season, the family cultivated
a cooperative within their village three hectares of soya beans and
and realized over MK900,000.00 they are optimistic that they will
profit. They used the money to harvest more than the previous
buy two cattle, paid school fees years. The family plans to buy
for their children, and bought some more cattle, a car and build
30 bags of fertilizer which were a bigger house.
applied in their six-hectare maize ASWAp-SP II thrives to
field. They also use manure from contribute towards improved
the cattle to further improve soil legume seeds available for use
fertility. by farmers to improve nutrition
“We have seen immediate through production of breeder
results after planting certified and foundation legume seeds in
soya bean seed, the program response to the existing demand.
has boosted our family’s income, The program is implemented by
we are assured of better living the project in 12 districts across
conditions and better education the country.
for our children,” said Ng’oma.

ASWAp-SPII in Market Access Endeavor

I n an effort to ensure market access by
smallholder farmers in the country, the
Agriculture Sector Wide Approach-Support
By Christopher Joseph

Project II (ASWAp-SPII) has constructed a bridge

in Zinthonga Village under Lisasadzi Extension
Planning Area in Kasungu.
The bridge which has been constructed at a
distance of about 2 kilometres from the village has
eased transportation of produce to nearby markets
by farmers in the area.
“It was difficult to transport our produce to the
market, but this bridge has made it easy for us,”
explains one of the farmers from the village, Mario
Tewesa.
Tewesa is one of the 74 farmers who are in a soya
pass-on programme championed by ASWAP-SPII at
Zinthonga Village in the district.

12 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4

 ASWAp-SP II Investing in Root and Tuber
Crops through Seed Multiplication
By Maxwell Kupatsa

“
Mleta in one of the cassava nurseries

I n a bid to improve farmers’

access to clean root and
tuber crop planting materials,
Since the start of the ASWAp-SPII is investing in
programme in 2019, we multiplication of high quality
cassava and sweetpotato
have managed to distribute varieties through the
approximately over Department of Agriculture
10,000 bundles of planting Research Services (DARS).
materials to farmers Harry Mleta, specialist in
root and tuber crops at
in different districts. Chitedze Research Station says
Next year we intend to farmers across the country are
benefitting from the initiative.
distribute to other farmers
“Since the start of the
as well. - Harry Mleta. programme in 2019, we
have managed to distribute
approximately over 10,000
bundles of planting materials
to farmers in different districts.
Next year we intend to
distribute to other farmers as
well,” says Mleta.
ASWAp-SPII is promoting
the production of vitamin A
enriched root and tuber crops
which are highly productive
and drought resilient, with the
aim of contributing to food,
income and nutrition security.

13 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4

 IMPROVED RURAL ROADS EASING
TRANSPORTATION OF FARM PRODUCE
By Annie Kaomba

ASWAp-SPII constructed tarmac road easing transportation of harvests in Kasungu

G ood roads are key to
development in any
country. Roads help different
road users in many ways, for
example, transporting farm
produce to the market and
easily travelling to other
places. All this requires good
roads. An area where there are
no good roads is said to be
underdeveloped.
After seeing the problems
which people are facing in
some parts of the country
concerning roads, ASWAp-SPII
came in to complement the
work of the Malawi government.
Surely, a friend who comes in a
time of need is a friend indeed.
ASWAp-SPII is improving roads
in some rural parts of this
country.
14 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
One of the districts
where the project is doing
this commendable road
construction work is Kasungu.
The 6-kilometer road from
Mphomwa to Kantuwale in the
area of Traditional Authority
(T/A) Chulu in the district was
upgraded to tarmac. Some
of the road users who are
benefiting from this road are
transporters, business people
and travelers.
Lyness Nguluwe of Mphomwa
village, T/A Chulu in the
district is one of the people
who are benefiting from this
tarmac road. Nguluwe is a
businesswoman along the
Mphomwa-Kantuwale tarmac
road.
“My business of Irish potatoes
is going on well these days as
now most customers come to
my place to buy my Irish at a
wholesale price,” said Nguluwe.
Nguluwe said that in the past
this was not possible as most
buyers were not interested to
come to buy Irish potatoes
from her because the road
was poor. She said things were
worse during the rainy season
as breakdown of vehicles was
serious as such most vehicles
were shunning away from
using this road. Happy Lyness
was quick to thank ASWAp-
SPII for maintaining this road
which has eased the burden of
travelling.

Lyness Nguluwe at her business along the road
This road is not benefiting
business people alone but also
travellers. Some of the people
who were awaiting transport at
the time said that these days,
travelling to other areas is
cheap. All this is because of the
good road which ASWAp-SPII
constructed. One of them was
Linly Nyirongo who comes from
Mlotha village, T/A Chulu. She
said:
“Before this tarmac road,
we used to pay K2, 500 from
Mphomwa to Kantuwale. Now,
the same distance we are
paying K1, 500. Days of walking
ASWAp-SPII Rolls Out the Agriculture Market Information System
T he Agriculture Sector Wide
Approach-Support Project
II (ASWAP-SPII) has rolled
out the Agriculture Market
Information System (AMIS)
aimed at achieving regulated
and efficient market systems
in Malawi.
The project has bought digital
gadgets for agricultural officers
to use for collecting data on
market prices for various farm
commodities.
One of the officers, Eunice
Sulamoyo Kambalame from
Zomba Agriculture Office has
15 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
long distances minibus or any transport.”
are gone.” Chirwa, as a farmer himself,
Nyirongo said said that transporting his
this is a plus tobacco to Chinkhoma auction
to them as floors is easy unlike in the
now money is past where he had to carry his
saved. She also tobacco by work oxen from his
remembered home village to the M1 road.
that because From here he had to hire a
of walking long lorry to carry his tobacco to
distances on Chinkhoma. “Now with the
foot, people coming of this ASWAp good
were reaching road, transporters find me at
home very my home and this has made
my life simple,” Chirwa said.
tired with
swollen legs
but now this
is only history.
Aaron Chirwa
of Chiheni
village,
T/A Chulu
proudly said,
“Nowadays
transport is
not a problem
and one does
not wait too
long at a
bus depot Pic- Linly Nyirongo and others at a bus stage in
to board a kasungu
commended the initiative.
“Previously, we collected market
information on a piece of paper. It
was difficult to transfer information
to the ministry, especially in rainy
season because papers could get
soaked,” she explains.
In addition to tablets bought for
extension workers for collecting
data, ASWAp-SPII has bought
a desktop computer placed at
Zomba District Office to be used
as a backup gadget. Furthermore,
each Agriculture Extension
Development Coordinator (AEDC)
has received a laptop computer.
Kambalame at the market with
a tablet she received
 ASWAp-SPII Meeting Farmers’ Legume
Seed Demands
By Maxwell Kupatsa

Chimphamba (left) on one of the legume seed multiplication plot

A SWAp-SPII, through the

Department of Agriculture
Research Services (DARS),
is supporting multiplication
of legume seed to ensure
a sustainable supply of
improved seed varieties
that meet the needs of local
farmers.
According to Arsenio
Chimphamba who is Principal
Agriculture Research Officer
at the Chitedze Research
Station, the seed multiplication
programme will help to reach
many farmers with improved
legume seed.
“We are multiplying different
crop varieties in form of breeder
and pre-basic seed which will
feed into the seed system
whereby seed producers will
buy from us and then multiply
and sell to more farmers,” said
Chimphamba.
In the 2020-2021 season alone,
the project through DARS is
projected to produce 25 metric
tons of breeder legume seed in
research stations, and 50 metric
tons of basic legume seed by
progressive farmers.
ASWAp-SPII is promoting
production of breeder and
foundation legumes seed, while
ensuring that the legumes
seed revolving fund that was
established under previous
ASWAp SP is functional to
sustain future basic legume seed
demands.

16 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4

 FARMERS FROM NOWA MKOCHI VILLAGE
BENEFITING IN HOUSEHOLD APPROACH
Nyirongo and family at their house
M alawi’s economy depends
on agriculture and
this activity is mostly done
by smallholder farmers.
The agriculture sector has
contributed significantly
towards economic growth and
food security in this country.
Among the recommended
methodologies and investments
that have demonstrated impact
on agriculture is the Household
Approach (HHA). It is against this
background that the Government
of Malawi with support from
ASWAp-SPII committed to
training farmers in HHA.
Household Approach is an
agricultural extension approach
that promotes power relations
among adult and youth
17 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
By Annie Kaomba
household members in order
to promote equitable access
to and control over resources
and benefits. The approach
empowers household members
in planning and implementation
of the farming business.
One of the areas where HHA is
practiced is Champhira Extension
Planning Area (EPA) in Mzimba
South. Some farmers in the area
were chosen and trained in HHA
with the aim of assisting their
fellow farmers.
Mr. Nyirongo is one of the
beneficiaries of the training.
He comes from Nowa Mkochi
village, T/A Mzikuola in Mzimba.
Nyirongo received training in
modern ways of farming among
other skills. As a farmer, he uses
the knowledge gained from the
training and practices it in his
field. Nyirongo grows maize,
soya, tomato, and beans among
others. All these crops are grown
using recommended practices.
After harvesting these crops
last growing season, he
realized K300, 000 from selling
soya beans, K1, 200, 000 from
tomatoes and K250, 000 from
maize. Using the money realized
from the sales, Nyirongo built
a good house with solar power,
bought a cow and a rented
house at a cost of K1, 700,000
at Jenda trading centre. He said
he is able to receive some cash
every month-end from that
house.
“There is no difference
between people living in town
and me here. I watch Television
and drink cold water because my
house has power all day,” said
Nyirongo happily.
Nyirongo continued to say
that he works together with his
family and they plan everything
together. He said he does this
with the aim of not leaving
anybody behind in farming
activities.
Nyirongo’s family plans to build
or buy five houses for rent at
Jenda trading centre to boost
their income. Nyirongo did not
hide the knowledge he gained
to himself but he also trained
one of his fellow farmers and
he is Menard Nkhoma. Nkhoma
is growing maize, soya, sweet
potatoes, and beans.

Menard Nkhoma showing off his vehicle
ASWAp-SPII Geared to Restore Banana
Industry in Malawi
By Maxwell Kupatsa
“
I believe
there is a lot
of money in
the banana
industry
- Mkhupela
I n a bid to restore the
banana industry, ASWAp-SP
II through the Department
of Agriculture Research
Services (DARS) has intensified
banana macro-propagation
and community orchards.
According to Harold Katondo,
18 | Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SP II online Edition | Volume 4
“
“After selling my crops last
growing season, I bought a
car, a cow, and a solar panel.
“After selling my Thanks to Mr. Nyirongo for
crops last growing being an eye opener to my
season, I bought success,” Menard said.
a car, a cow, and His plan is to buy another
a solar panel. car so that it should bring him
Thanks to Mr. some cash.
Nyirongo for being Farmers are encouraged
an eye opener to take kin interest in the
to my success,” Household Approach to boost
their production. Gone are
Menard Nkhoma
days of doing traditional
farming which is not beneficial.
of Chilumba farm collaborates
with the Zomba District
Agriculture Office and has since
planted 1500 William banana
variety on his one-hectare piece
of land.
“I decided to venture into
banana production because I
know that farming is business,
and I believe that there is a
lot of money in the banana
industry,” says Mkhupela.
Smallholder farmers are also
multiplying their clean banana
planting materials in their
communities. Peter Mose from
Mchinji district is among such
farmers.
“I was given 100 suckers,
but now I have more than
160 banana tree. I will keep
multiplying because I have
Horticulturalist at Bvumbwe
Research Station, DARS has
produced over 40,000 suckers
seen the benefits in banana
production,” says Mose.
To date, a total of more than
since ASWAp-SP II started, 600 hectares have been put
thus from 2018/2019 growing under banana production
season. by 11,213 farmers with 53.8%
Among others, commercial women in the implementation
farmers like Ovillella Mkhupela districts.
Editorial Board
Don’t miss
Editor-In-Chief: next edition of
Joseph Chimbuto Titukuke ndi ASWAp-SPII
Editor: Magazine
Maxwell Kupatsa Coming out
Reporters Soon

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M. Kupatsa
Z. Munthali
A. Kaomba
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T. Hawonga
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Designed by
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Lilongwe
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Agriculture Sector Wide Approach-

Support Project II(ASWAp-SPII)
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Lilongwe 3
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communication@aswap.mw
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