An assessment of the adoption of compost manure by smallholder farmers in Balaka District, Malawi.

The decline in soil fertility is widespread in Malawi and is threatening food security in the country. While the use of inorganic fertilizers to improve soil fertility has immediate results, the escalating prices make it impossible for the majority of smallholder farmers to use them. There is, therefore, need for alternative low-cost soil fertility enhancing technologies. Compost manure seems to be a viable option to be promoted. This study was designed to assess the adoption of compost manure making and utilization by smallholder farmers. The study was conducted through a combination of individual interviews and observation of 150 smallholder farmers as well as through focus group discussions. Key recommendations for compost manure technology were identified through consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Based on the key recommendations, a knowledge test was constructed to assess knowledge of the technology and a checklist was designed to assess farmer practice. The study revealed that the most critical factor that affected the adoption of compost manure technology was knowledge. Given that knowledge is a pre-requisite to any technology adoption, farmers knowledge on composting will therefore need to be raised substantially before appreciable levels of adoption can be expected. The amounts of compost that farmers made fell far short of their annual needs because of the late timing of the actual compost manure making. However, farmers have a positive perception of the compost manure technology as they believe it improves soil productivity

Performance of climber common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines under Researcher Designed Farmer Managed (RDFM) system in three bean agro-ecological zones of Malawi

An on-farm study was carried out in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 growing seasons under rain-fed condition in five sites namely Thondwe and Matapwata in Zomba and Thyolo districts respectively, Chipuka inNtchisi district, Ntchenachena and Ngong’a in Rumphi district representing three bean agro-ecological zones of Malawi. Seven climber common bean entries; CAB 19, RWV 1046, BCMV B4, AND 659, RWV1042-2-3, 5P/5 and DC 86-244 were evaluated for their performance and stability across sites and two seasons under Researcher Designed Farmer Managed (RDFM) system. Entries DC 86-244, AND 659 andBCMV B4 were early maturing in most sites of the trial. DC 86 244 and AND 659 were also high yielding and had larger seed sizes compared to other entries. RWV 1046 and RVW 1042-2-3 were also highyielding though had smaller seed sizes. Stability analysis identified entries CAB 19 and DC 86 244 as stable entries across sites and seasons. Among environments, Ng’onga, Chipuka and Thondwe werehigh yielding. Ntchenachena was more stable but lower yielding compared to other sites. Matapwata was highly unreliable as heavy rains followed by dry spells characterised the site which resulted in lossof all bean entries in 2004-2005 growing season

Yield performance of dwarf bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines under Researcher Designed Farmer Managed (RDFM) system in three bean agro-ecological zones of Malawi

An on-farm study was carried out under rain-fed condition in 2003 - 2004 and 2004 - 2005 growing seasons in five sites namely Ntchenachena and Ngong’a in Rumphi district, Chipuka in Ntchisi district, Thondwe and Matapwata in Zomba and Thyolo districts respectively representing three bean agroecological zones of Malawi. Seven dwarf bean entries; DC 96-95, PC 490-D8, BCMV-B2, SDDT-54-C5, APN 130, F6BC (19) and DOR 715 were evaluated for their yield stability across sites and two seasons under Researcher Designed Farmer Managed (RDFM) system. Yield stability of the entries across years varied significantly. Entries SDDT-54-C5, PC490-D8 and DOR 715 were stable across all sites and between the two seasons. DOR 715 was also high yielding entry in Thondwe and Ntchenachena sites followed by BCMV B2 though the latter was unstable. Among sites, Thondwe was the best because yields of most of the bean entries were stable at this site

Farmer experience of pluralistic agricultural extension, Malawi

Purpose: Malawi’s current extension policy supports pluralism and advocates responsiveness to farmer demand. We investigate whether smallholder farmers’ experience supports the assumption that access to multiple service providers leads to extension and advisory services that respond to the needs of farmers. Design/methodology/approach: Within a case study approach, two villages were purposively selected for in-depth qualitative analysis of available services and farmers’ experiences. Focus group discussions were held separately with male and female farmers in each village, followed by semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants selected through snowball sampling. Transcripts were analysed by themes and summaries of themes were made from cross case analysis. Findings: Farmers appreciate having access to a variety of sources of technical advice and enterprise specific technology. However, most service providers continue to dominate and dictate what they will offer. Market access remains a challenge, as providers still emphasize pushing a particular technology to increase farm productivity rather than addressing farmers’ expressed needs. Although farmers work in groups, providers do not seek to strengthen these to enable active interaction and to link them to input and produce markets. This limits farmers’ capacity to continue with innovations after service providers pull out. Poor coordination between providers limits exploitation of potential synergies amongst actors. Practical implications: Services providers can adapt their approach to engage farmers in discussion of their needs and work collaboratively to address them. At a system level, institutions that have a coordination function can play a more dynamic role in brokering interaction between providers and farmers to ensure coverage and responsiveness. Originality/value: The study provides a new farmer perspective on the implementation of extension reforms

Uptake and resistance: The rural poor and user-pays agricultural extension in Malawi

The shift to pluralistic agricultural extension services in Malawi sets the context for this article's focus on the private service provider (PSP) delivery model. The role of the PSP, the alacrity and resistance of smallholder farmers to pay for PSP services, and the challenges experienced in implementing this user-pays approach are examined. We draw on the analytic framework of credibility, salience and legitimacy as germane to understanding uptake and resistance to the PSP model. This article is based on empirical data from a longitudinal qualitative study. Interviews with approximately 50 PSPs and nearly 100 stakeholders from the public, private and non governmental sectors across Malawi were supplemented with focus group discussions with 30 farmer groups in Malawi representing close to 600 smallholders. The results reveal the complexity of shifting to a user-pays system and that PSPs play important roles in delivering services that respond to farmers’ needs. What we are finding in this ongoing research is the uptake by smallholder farmers of the user-pays approach is more likely when all three characteristics of the framework for uptake are attended to – credibility, salience and legitimacy. This article compliments the extant, largely quantitative, literature on willingness to pay by qualitatively teasing out the nuances of farmers’ responses to a user-pays approach in order to explore acts of alacrity and resistance. The findings highlight some practical challenges for agricultural advisory service providers to operationalise the user-pays principle in the Malawi agricultural extension policy. This original empirical research adds to the discourse on farmer development processes. It provides an important example to be learned from in seeking to improve plurality in agricultural extension in sub-Saharan Africa