TLC NGO Promotes Farmers Cooperatives in Kasungu District for Easy Market Access
The EPA includes sections such as Chatoloma, Chamakala, and Kabeza.
KASUNGU, Malawi - Total Land Care (TLC), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is making strides in promoting farmers’ cooperatives in Kasungu district, providing them with easier market access for their farm produce, writes Moses Nyirenda.
Under the TRANSFORM Programme funded by Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)/Danchurchaid (DCA), TLC is working with over 1000 farmers in the Kaluluma Extention Planning Area (EPA) of Kasungu district.
The EPA includes sections such as Chatoloma, Chamakala, and Kabeza.
TLC Field Officer Patrick Chunga explained the rationale behind encouraging farmers to work in cooperatives.
"As we were coming in 2020, we found that farmers were experiencing good harvests but did not have markets," Chunga said.
"In this regard, through the TRANSFORM Programme, we decided to start encouraging farmers to be in cooperatives to help them have better market access where they can sell their produce."
Through the cooperatives, TLC is connecting farmers to buyers, including companies like Farmers World and Central Poultry, where they can sell their farm produce at good prices.
Additionally, TLC has facilitated connections with the World Food Programme (WFP), allowing farmers to sell their maize and soya beans for the school feeding program run by WFP in schools around Kasungu.
Farmers in the area have expressed their gratitude for the formation of cooperatives.
Jenipher Mtonga, a farmer from Group Village Head Wembe in the area of Traditional Authority Nyanja, belonging to the Chatoloma network, shared her experience.
"Before being in a cooperative, I was failing to find a market for my farm produce on my own," Mtonga said.
"But since I started working in a cooperative, I am selling my farm produce at a good price since we have easy access to markets. The money I am earning is able to support my family and two children who are in Form 2 now and have reached that far with their education because of the money I am making through farming."
Yohane Jere, the secretary of the Kabeza cooperative, also praised the introduction of cooperatives.
"We are easily finding buyers for our farm produce who buy the farm produce at good prices," Jere stated.
The efforts of TLC and the cooperatives are expected to have a positive impact on the livelihoods of farmers in Kasungu district, providing them with sustainable market access and opportunities for economic growth.