AGRICULTURAL PROJECTS 1

AGRICULTURAL, FOOD AND NUTRITION PROJECTS DONE FROM 2011_2014

A. PROMOTION OF SOYA BEAN PRODUCTION




In many African countries especially Malawi, most farmers concentrate
on growing the main crop which is used as a staple food, and in Malawi
this crop is maize.

In this project farmers were promoted and trained to grow soya bean on
a larger scale not just for consumption but for commercial purposes as
well. It was done in the area of group village kwindimbure in Zomba,
Malawi.

MAIN GOAL

To promote soya bean production on a larger scale so as to increase
money income and protein intake hence reducing hunger and malnutrition
cases.

OBJECTIVES

To form soya associations and clubs

Promotion of soya bean production as a cash crop

To reduce malnutrition cases at community level

Promote soya consumption in a nutritious way through cooking
Demonstrations

Reduce and eradicate hunger issues.

PROJECT ACTIVITIES

Soya bean associations and clubs were formed and still going on.

Farmers were taught how to grow soy bean from land preparation-
planting-harvesting-storage-market

Formation of clubs for cooking Demos

Lead farmer selection, these farmers are those who had an outstanding
harvest, and they were selected to keep on giving technical advice to
their fellow farmers for the sustainably of the prioject.

Farmers benefited a lot from this project and still they are
benefitting

Monitoring and evaluation.

B. CASSAVA PRODUCTION (VALUE CHAIN PROGRAM)

In Zomba, Malawi Cassava is one of the major crop apart from maize,
since the soil condition is very good for this crop, the farmers kept
on growing cassava in very big areas hence having more production but
they had no idea about the value of this crop and how to utilise
their yield.

In this project, farmers were encouraged and given technical advice on
how to benefit from their own huge cassava yield.







MAIN GOAL

promote cassava production on larger scale both as a food and cash
crop.

OBJECTIVES

Creating reliable markets

Increase finance availability for farmers through cassava selling

Promotion of cassava flour intake

Reducing hunger and malnutrition issues




THE PROGRAM

Maize being the staple food most farmers only concentrate on maize
production, in this program farmers were not only encouraged to
grow cassava as a cash crop but also to utilise the flour made from
cassava, instead of maize, since many times there is few rains and
maize production goes down, farmers stay hungry yet there is a
drought tolerant crop right in their area and is produced at a very
higher rate.

Farmers and all the other people in the communities were taught how
to process cassava flour and cooking demonstrations were conducted.

Due to the readily available market for this cassava alot of
farmers benefited from this program, and since it is an on going
program still they are benefiting, the money earned they are able
to buy other farm inputs.

Farmers were able to sell their produce in bulky amounts since
associations were formed and it was easier for the companies to buy
their product rather than buying one to one, which is a time waste
and unorganized way.

Employment opportunities were created due to the demand of labour
throughout the process of growing, harvesting, storing, processing
and transporting.

Outstanding farmers were also chosen as lead farmers so as to
provide technical messages to their fellow farmers without waiting
for a field visit by the extension officers.




C. FARM BUSINESS SCHOOLS (FMBs)

This is a program where farmers registers for membership to attend
trainings on agriculture techniques and this training is done right
in their villages, in the group village chifisi, I managed to
implement 7 business schools in each village one FMB.

The main concept is: to help farmers understand better the value of
agricultural products and take farming as a business.

In these schools farmers benefited a lot since it was easy for them
to attend and the following are the activities that were dscussed:

Climate change and adaptability

Commercial farming

Conversation Agriculture

Irrigation and farming

Green manure making

Proper utilization of small lands

Back yard gardening

Food security at both national and community levels

Associations and clubs

Market research and price fluctuations

After the farmers understand the value of the crop which they are
cultivating they know better how to take care of all the farm activities so
as to produce higher quality products that will be easily sold at the
market as every one runs for the commodity that is of good quality.

These FMBs have added a bigger difference in yield capacity, crop yield is
growing higher and higher, with the help of these trainings.



D. HIV&AIDs AND NUTRITION CLUBS

During my work with the ministry of agriculture I managed to implement
several nutrition groups where people in the communities were taking part
in doing cooking demonstrations, through the use of their own locally
available resources we were able to prepare nutritious and delicious meals.

If one is suffering from AIDs and is not taking nutritious food, the person
may eventually suffer from malnutrition and this will worsen the condition
of the disease and might lead to rapid death.

The MAIN CONCEPT: To increase intake of nutritious foods, through proper
preparation of the meals and correct use of the locally available
resources.

Below is a table showing some of the cooking demonstrations.



"MEAL TYPE "INGREDIENTS "MIXTURES AND PREPARATION " "TEMPERATURE AT"
" " " " "SERVING "
"Cassava "Fresh cassava,"Break the eggs in a small " "Serve hot "
"flitters "eggs, green "bowl, boil the cassava then" " "
" "vegetables, "cut in small pieces, deep " " "
" "salt, cooking "them in the eggs, then deep" " "
" "oil,water. "fry them in hot oil. " " "
" " "Make any green vegetable " " "
" " "salad and serve together " " "
" " "with a glass of juice. " " "
"Cassava nsima "Cassava flour,"Boil the water, then add " "Serve while "
" "water, "flour slowly slowly and " "hot with "
" " "keep stirring until the " "either meat or"
" " "texture is abit hard, put " "beans or fish "
" " "the heat at low temperature" "and green "
" " "and keep stirring until its" "vegetables "
" " "smooth. " " "
"Mango juice "ripe mangoes, "Peel the mangoes place them" "Serve cold. "
"(Locally made)"lemons, water,"in a pot with a little " " "
" "wine. "water, let them to boil for" " "
" " "a few minutes then put " " "
" " "asieve on container and " " "
" " "pour the hot juice, squeez " " "
" " "in the lemon and add a " " "
" " "little wine. Then put in " " "
" " "the refrigerator. " " "





Most of the HIV&AIDs activities were done by the youth, the main role on
this program was to raise awareness on the advantages of knowing one's
status.

A number of people both young and old were willingly going for the HIV
test, since they were advised on how they can still stay healthy even
their result is HIV positive, it was such a huge approach and it really
changed the lives of many, the program was wonderfully successful. Through
working hand in hand with the health centres we were able also to promote
Home Based Care Groups, and this is another program that supports nutrition
since the members of the family are trained on how to give good care to
their loved ones Who are sick right in their homes by providing nutritious
food to them and proper care of any needs.

In my work experience I have managed to implement a lot of programs at
community level, and most of them being more successful, it is always my
passion to serve the people in the communities with the capacity that I
have. And I would love to learn more if I will be successful with this
internship am sure I will make a difference in my life and in my country.