By Malawi Exclusive
World Bank Malawi Country office says is impressed with Malawi Government on how they have managed their resources which the bank is giving in the implementation of Agricultural Sector Wide Approach Project (ASWAP II).
Speaking in an exclusive interviews World Bank Senior Economist Time Fatchi said he is happy that the project has managed to promote new agricultural technologies which remains core component of the project.
“Am very impressed with what I have seen today farmers have adopted the technologies and what is remaining now is productivity and what we are just advising Government now is facilitate formation of cooperatives,” he said.
Fruits of ASWAP
Malawi Government through Ministry of Agriculture is implementing ASWAP II since 2018 to 2021 but now extended to June 2023 courtesy of the additional Financing (AF) by the Multi- Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Funders which include EU, USAID, Norway, Ireland
and the Flanders while World Bank Group are funds administrator.
The actual ASWAP initual investment was $55 million for the period between 2018 and 2021 and the Additional Financing injected in 14.8 USD million between January 2022 and June 2023 targeting 275,000 farmers in 12 districts and 5 ADDs.
Currently there are many success stories which the World Bank ASWAP has registered since phase one inception.
Through the project 1,002.2 Km of roads have been rehabilitated against
target 1,200 KM.
The project has also seen upgrading 76.2 KM roads into bituminous against
target 84 KM. The project has also helped to sponsor 184 Ministry of Agriculture staff
against a target of 220 in various programs at Diploma and Msc. levels at NRC and Bunda Campuses of LUANAR.
With the program again 5 new fertiliser blends have been released on the market
against a target of 5.
One of the beneficiaries Loid Moto from Chabuka Village Traditional Authority Kalumo in Ntchisi says he is one of the farmers who benefitted from ASWAP.
He said he has currently planted one acre of Cassava and said his life will no longer be the same.