Across the country, farmers are struggling to cope up with numerous challenges mostly bordering on access to inputs and structured markets.
So, every time they plant crops in their fields, they are not totally sure about whether their toil would reap maximum returns for them.
The rise in prices of inputs and unreliable markets makes farming an uncertain affair.
But that is slowly withering away for some farmers who have sealed deals with companies that are propping up their endeavours while also pledging to buy the produce once it is ready.
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Florie Chagwira-Betha is one of them.
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After growing crops for years and not reaching the level of satisfaction she had always longed for, Chagwira-Betha decided to heed a call by Pyxus Agriculture Malawi Limited which invited interested farmers to strike a deal with the company to grow groundnuts on its farms.
“Pyxus Agriculture called for applications from farmers who would manage to put at least 10 hectares of land under groundnut production.
“I applied and here I am growing 10 hectares of groundnuts which I will sell to Pyxus once I harvest,” the mother of one says.
In the arrangement, Pyxus offered her and 57 other farmers pieces of land on the company’s vast estates to grow groundnuts which it will buy when harvested.
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To ease the challenge of accessing inputs which perennially hits farmers, Pyxus Agriculture also provided seed, fertiliser, inoculant and other materials required in groundnut production.
Farmers had the choice of picking which input they desperately sought.
“I opted to get seed from the company. Another important element of the deal is that the company is providing extension services, making everything progressing very smoothly,” Chagwira- Betha says.
She admits that having previous largely concentrated on maize production, it was not easy for her to accept that she would break through in growing groundnuts.
Standing at the edge of her vast groundnuts field at Pyxus Agriculture’s Mpale Estate in Dowa, Chagwira- Betha narrates how confident she now is of amplifying her groundnuts business.
On the day, farmers from various parts of the Central Region contracted by the company are visiting fields of their colleagues at the estate to learn progressive agronomic tricks which they can apply to their own fields.
“Of course, we already planted the groundnuts, but there are other aspects which we need to know which we can use between now and harvesting time.
“For instance, controlling pests and diseases and even preparing groundnuts seed is something that is not linked to a particular period,” another contracted farmer Chikondi Mwale says.
He admires the lush groundnut crops in Chagwira-Betha’s field and prays his own will grow to the same status in the course of the season.
Mwale says the initial germination rate was not that impressive such that he had to replant in most spots.
“We have been told that some seed was not handled well; hence their germination rate was low. Pyxus gave us another package of seed, whose germination rate has been excellent,” he explains.
In partnership with the Mega Farms Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Pyxus Agriculture is supporting the farmers to increase Malawi’s groundnut production through the utilisation of its expertise and resources.
During the field day, the firm’s managing director Ronald Ngwira stressed the importance of farmers being in the know of advanced agronomic practices in groundnuts production to maximise yield.
“We are continuously engaging them so that they tell us the progress they are making. We are also explaining to them practices which are crucial in groundnuts production.
“Of course, some of the aspects will mostly be useful from next growing season because the farmers have already planted their groundnuts,” Ngwira said.
He also indicated that new groundnuts varieties that have been undergoing testing before they are scaled up are ready for the next season.
“In Malawi, new groundnuts varieties have to be observed for three years before they can be released to farmers and the ones which we have been testing are ready for scaling up,” Ngwira said.
He further reiterated his company’s determination to continue supporting farmers in their diversification agendas, especially in the midst of erratic weather patterns.
Controller of Agriculture Extension and Technical Services, Alfred Mwenefumbo, who is also spearheading the development of mega farms, marvelled at the green fields at Mpale Estate, saying they typify the potential that farmers have if sufficiently propped up.
Mwenefumbo also acknowledged the feedback from the farmers on the field trip, which he said would help in improving the management of the agreements.
“This is a new arrangement. Farmers initially faced challenges mostly when it comes to germination of groundnuts. In some cases, it was to do with erratic rainfall but Pyxus re-supplied the seed and the germination rate significantly shot up,” he said.
For Chagwira-Betha and dozens other farmers working with Pyxus Agriculture, there is hope of finding satisfaction in agriculture once again.
Chagwira-Betha specifically wants to keep increasing the hectarage up until she becomes one of Malawi’s biggest farmers.
“I am at 10 hectares today; I will be at 50 hectares next year and I will go up to 100 hectares. It is possible. Of course, it will depend on what comes out of this first deal,” she says.
