Background

On 27^th May, 2020 , YASD organized a media coverage event that was held at Dzakata village , TA Mponera Dowa. The event took place at a demonstration plot that is established in Mponera to showcase and prove the efficiency and effectiveness of the organic fertilizer YASD has come up with. The media stations which were involved for the activity were Timveni Television and Times Television but the footage recorded was shared with ZODIAK TV team .The activity was financially supported by Malawi- Scotland partnership under climate change project.

MaSP Youth Ambassador as well as the ED of YASD being interviewed by Nancy Malata of Timveni TV .

The innovation of making Organic fertilizer using this advanced formulae and recommendable modes of application was initiated to help the youth interested in farming and local farmers who cannot afford to buy a bag of inorganic fertilizer; to become productive in their farming activities and become food secure. Environmental assessment indicated that one of the major contributing factor to climate change is Poverty which forces poor families and individual venture into Charcoal burning and firewood selling for survival reasons. This initiative could be a better solution of reducing pressure on the environment and conserve plant or tree species since people will be able to harvest enough from their fields hence improving their livelihoods.

WHY ORGANIC FERTILIZER PRODUCTION

The increase of the  youth unemployment rate, has positively mobilized the youth venture into agriculture as a one of the solution towards self-employment. Despite the efforts that they are making in farming, they are not being productive ,forcing them lose their interest in agriculture. One of the major contributing factor is the high costs of the bag of fertilizer of which most of them can’t afford. This pushes them to stagnation and also idleness hence easily swayed and moved by peer pressure resulting them indulging into bad companies like drug and substance use, theft and gang groups. Likewise, most local farmers are struggling to increase farm produce as well as fight poverty through farming because the prices of inorganic fertilizers are so exorbitant. Their efforts end up unproductive in agriculture. Climate change is also affecting the sector hence a need of coming up with best practices which can increase the agriculture production as well as improve the wellbeing of people in the communities. Women and girls quite farming among others because they cant afford to buy farm inputs, hence are left with nothing but poverty which forces them start engaging themselves in the immoral and risky behaviors . As such as country, we still maintain the proportion that about 51.54 % of the population leave below the national poverty line and 20.1 % being ultra-poor (The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee, MVAC).

The Organic fertilizer has proven that it can be a mode and means of transforming the lives of young people and the whole community through the investment into agriculture. Only if farming can be promoted and help farmers become productive, then it will be easy to curb other financial instabilities that hinders the development of the area. As Malawi- Scotland partnership we can champion sustainable agriculture through the promotion of organic fertilizer production.

The owner of Dimba applying the fertilizer

IMPREMENTATION

Production of this organic fertilizer started early November 2019 and it was being tested in a home garden. After finalizing the methodology for the process, mode of application and quantity/ content to be applied per station, it is when it was tested on a bigger piece of land approximately one acre, thus a demonstration plot that was established in Mponera, Dowa . Three varieties of crops were planted and these includes Tomato, Maize and Irish potato. We applied our fertilizer for the first time when maize plants were at most three weeks old with three clear leaves while for tomato the average height was 15 cm high.

We did the whole process of taking care for the demonstration plot especially with the influence and help of the owner of the plot/ dimba. In May 2020, after being satisfied with the outcome of the fertilizer to the planted crops, we engaged the media houses to testify and show the public on the efficiency and effectiveness of the fertilizer.

Edward Msiska being an ambassador for Malawi- Scotland partnership and also a climate change young leader under the project of climate change,  YASD was privileged to be financially supported for the logistics of the event.

Outline of the successes of the program

• The public started enquiring more about the fertilizer as well as to try it in their gardens as well as their farm lands.
• Ignited the organisation’s passion and interest to explore more about the fertilizer making as well as look into best practices of application methods.
• Some of the youth organizations including women groups and other individuals are interested to be trained in this organic fertilizer production.
• YASD started getting positioned into green and climate change platforms on aspect of green innovations.

CHALLENGES

So far we encountering the following challenges which are hindering the flourishing of the project.

• There is a lack of funding to expand and extend the initiative to other communities ass well as increase the production. People needs to learn climate smart agriculture and organic farming practices.
• Limited space  which is suitable and reliable for production ,and storage

RECOMMENDATIONS

• MaSP and other partners should guide on making sustainable and strategic partnerships as well as finance the initiative.
• Identify, allocate and establish a suitable space for organic fertilizer production.

In summary , the Organic fertilizer production only needs financial support to extend its service and products to the public demand. Should there be a financial support , then more young people , women and other elders can be mobilized and venture into agriculture which in the process can also create jobs through other farming activities. Living standards of people will also be improved through the same initiative.