Malawi Chingale program 1900-3002
Report: June 8, 2009
Excerpts from a report for the period from February through May, 2009
Objective: Increase maize production.
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The season on rainfall distribution has been good for most of the crops. Most of the crops have done well. The farmers who benefited from the program harvested maize between 750-1250kg (15-25 bags of 50kg each). Recoveries from the beneficiaries were in progress as most of the farmers have completed shelling.
Objective: Soya beans.
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Most of the farmers have harvested and recoveries from a few farmers whose crop was ready has been done. The yield for most of the farmers ranged from 150-300kgs.
Objective: Crop storage
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Forty contact farmers were trained on different methods of storage, recommended chemicals, and correct mixing rates. The contact farmers were able to train 200 other farmers and these farmers were reported having stored their maize in grain form.
Objective: Promotion of irrigation farming
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Twenty-five treadle pumps were purchased and distributed to 25 groups of five farmers each and 125 farmers benefited from the program. Land preparation and planting was in progress. The program has only assisted the farmers with treadle pumps but they were using their own fertilizers and seed.
Objective: Rehabilitation of shallow wells
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Fifteen shallow wells were identified and rehabilitated. However, materials for the rehabilitation had gone up in prices by 38%. The communities were able to fetch clean water at a reasonable distance and more time was spent on other activities than looking for clean water.
- Seven-hundred-fifty people benefited from these facilities and cases of water borne related diseases were the talk of the past.