Mwati Cooperative: Transforming Agriculture and Lives in Mchinji, Malawi
The cooperative is dedicated to enhancing agricultural commercialization and sharing knowledge on modern agricultural techniques and technologies.
MCHINJI, Malawi - The lack of reliable markets for agricultural products and knowledge of modern agricultural methods have been identified as major obstacles to the progress of the agricultural sector in Malawi, particularly in the region of Mchinji, writes Royal Kasiya.
This situation has hampered farmers' ability to achieve optimal profits at the end of each farming season.
In response to these challenges, Mwati Cooperative Society, located in Mchinji under the leadership of Chairperson Joyce Mphepo, has emerged as a beacon of hope.
The cooperative is dedicated to enhancing agricultural commercialization and sharing knowledge on modern agricultural techniques and technologies.
Mphepo emphasised the pressing issues faced by small-scale farmers, stating, "Unreliable markets and a lack of knowledge on modern farming methods and technologies are a huge setback to small-scale farmers in our community. Most of the small-scale farmers are unable to get maximum profits from their produce, thereby creating cycles of hunger every year."
She further elaborated on the cooperative's mission, saying, "Our goal is to improve the community's economic status, self-reliance, and knowledge of modern agricultural methods. We sell our farm produce as a group after negotiating with a buyer for a reasonable price. In times of plenty, especially during the harvesting period, we store the produce and sell it at a higher price when it is scarce."
Since its inception, Mwati Cooperative has not only managed to generate profits but has also constructed a warehouse for its members to store crops such as maize, groundnuts, soybeans, and sunflowers before selling them at favourable prices.
In addition, the cooperative has rescued over 210 families from economic hardship.
Meria Guza, a beneficiary of the cooperative, shared her success story, stating, "I have been a beneficiary of the Mwati cooperative since it started. Through the knowledge I gained, I am able to produce high yields and make a profit after selling my produce together with the group, something that was not possible in the past when I was selling as an individual. From the proceeds realised, I have built a house roofed with iron sheets in addition to owning some livestock."
Senior Group Village Headman Cheyadi (Philip Chayamba) commended Mwati Cooperative for its transformative impact on the community, emphasising the role it plays in promoting cooperation and unity among farmers.
He said, "The cooperative is assisting members of the community to be self-reliant. Besides, it promotes cooperation and unity among community members."
Despite its successes, Mwati Cooperative has faced challenges, including a lack of sufficient capital to meet its objectives. To address this issue, the cooperative launched village savings and loan programmes in order to raise capital for its operations.
It has also been hiring modern farming equipment to prepare large areas of land efficiently.
Joyce Mphepo acknowledged the challenges, saying, "It is challenging to cultivate large pieces of land manually. Hiring modern agricultural equipment from large-scale farmers has been the only option for us to cultivate large pieces of land. However, this is costing us a lot, but we are so grateful for the effort we have made so far."
Looking to the future, Mwati Cooperative has ambitious plans to expand its operations by securing funding to purchase modern agricultural equipment and transportation.
Additionally, the cooperative is exploring the possibility of adding value to its products to increase profits.