COMMUNITIES IN DOWA DISTRICT TOUT ABOUT TRANSFORM PROJECT
Communities in Dowa district have hailed the Transform project implemented by AG Care for alleviating poverty in their respective households.
AG Care is implementing a project Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Agriculture Transformation and Resilience dubbed TRANSFORM which aims to transform the lives of communities through agriculture and livelihood activities.
photo credit: Wilson Phiri
According to one of the beneficiaries of the project, Cosmas Banda from Kapida Village in the area of Traditional Authority Dzoole, Mndolera Extension Planning Area says the Micro Investment centers of modernized irrigation farming.
“Through the transform project, I earned 441 000 Malawi kwacha after selling tomatoes from half an acre in the past irrigation season,” Banda said.
“the irrigation mechanism we are using does not require much energy and water sources” Banda added.
With the fact that the Transform project advocates for more involvement of women, Banda says he makes sure his wife Maggie Banda is engaged and involved at every stage mostly when sales have been made.
Speaking in a separate interview with YETU Community radio, Maggie Banda admitted that the Transform project has empowered her position at family and community levels respectively.
“With my husband, we had time together and made plans after selling tomato which was sold at 441 000, Malawi Kwacha,” Maggie Banda said.
The Transform project also encourages the beneficiaries to form groups commonly known as incubators so that they can share their experiences in such groups.
One of the groups is a 15-member Kachere Incubator from M’ndolera Extension Planning Area under Traditional Authority Kayembe.
Speaking in an interview, Kachere Incubator chairperson Dalison Gift said through groups, the project has reached out to the most deserving households not only by boosting their economic activities but also through water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Taking his turn, an implementing organization AG Care Programs manager Takondwa Phanga says they have managed to reach out to 4 753 households in the district from Chibvala, Nachisaka, and Mndolera EPAs.
“We are excited to see beneficiaries being transformed and AG care is currently impacting marketing skills in individuals and groups under Micro Investment.
The Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Agriculture Transformation and Resilience – TRANSFORM is being coordinated by NCA/DCA Malawi but funded by the Norwegian Embassy.
Currently, the TRANSFORM project is targeting 150,000 agriculture-dependent rural households in Mzimba, Rumphi, Dowa, Mchinji, and Kasungu districts.
