agrl_innovations_in_ssa.pdf?utm_content=buffercb41d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

• Encouraging the production and marketing of vegetables to local markets, and in Zomba,
with coordination provided by Bioversity International
• A need to ensure that new technologies had the approval of DARS Technical Clearing
Committee.
Achievements: All the learning sites acted as focus for stakeholders to learn, plan and evaluate,
from which improved coordination has grown. It has speeded up the process of making
research relevant to farmers needs. Agri-dealers are now supplying inputs that farmers need,
food security has improved, and surplus crops are being marketed locally. New technologies
are being promoted by a wide range of actors and adoption is occurring throughout the
Districts with the Government input subsidy scheme playing a major role in increasing farmer
awareness of the benefits of using improved varieties and fertiliser. However, IP focus has
increasingly shifted to improving links with markets to ensure that local demand can be met.
• In Balaka, IP focus shifted to tomatoes with production techniques being improved and
markets established for this potentially high-value crop.
• In the case of soil fertility in Zomba, an important breakthrough was forging a link
with a local processor who produces fortified maize and soybean food for sale to relief
programmes, school feeding and hospitals. The processor supplies soybean seed on
credit to contracted farmers, who repay in kind when they sell their soybean crop to the
processor
• Also in Zomba, supplying the local schools with the vegetables they require was another
important breakthrough.
Farmers in IPs are forming groups or associations and registering them with the Government.
Financial institutions have responded to this by making arrangements to provide loans to
farmers by paying the agri-dealers to provide them with inputs. Packs containing vegetable
seeds, fertilisers and chemicals are provided to farmers who at harvest, sell their produce and
use part of the money to pay back the loan and the rest to provide for their families and
prepare for the next season. Participatory market research by farmers has not only improved
returns, but has also empowered farmers to look for other markets and expand the market
base for their produce.
Benefits in each IP area include improved livelihoods of local farmers and better coordination
of development activities.
Unresolved or new challenges. These include ensuring on-going commitment of partners to IP
meetings, given their own priorities and time commitments. The availability of improved and
certified seed, particularly of legumes is proving to be a constraint and attention will need to be
given to this. The high price of inputs and low market prices for all commodities remain of concern.
Lessons learned. Although each IP concentrates on different commodities, the approaches are
similar. Stakeholders have been brought together under the leadership of District Officers to
establish activities that integrate into District Development Plans; they are making an important
contribution to the District Council’s priorities of improving food security, diversifying income
58 Agricultural Innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa