AIP endeavors to increase food security and improve the quality of life of Malawi farmers by improving agricultural education and extension systems and creating a convergence of public and private enterprises working towards ensuring prosperity in the region.
Project Duration: 2013-2016 Awarding Organization: USAID
Project Value: USD 2.74 million Geography: Malawi
- Strengthen seed science and technology education and extension
- Development of relevant seed science and technology related courses
- Incorporating e-learning tools; seed testing facilities; and
- Disseminating high quality, certified seeds to enhance Malawian small farmer productivity
- Seed Village model improved the financial realization to the local farmers by increasing the productivity, revenue, providing efficient linkages for procurement, supply, marketing and distribution of quality seeds
- Built support system for Malawian seed through unique public private partnership between University, farmers and private sector , germplasm access from International resources, policy advocacy, market linkage and augmenting capacities
- Envisaged and established a state-of-art seed processing unit at Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources (LUANAR) for providing experiential learning and contract, mechanized seed processing for small private sector companies in Malawi
- Revamped curriculum in seed science and established modern digital e-learning labs, teaching centers and smart library resources
- Strengthened Malawian extension system through technological intervention and promoting implementing university as the hub for e-extension
- Promoted adoption of off-season production through introduced low cost solar based micro irrigation system
Project Conceptualization & Management
Sathguru’s complete understanding of the seed systems on Malawi and India helped it to leap ahead by designing and conceptualizing the remodeling of the seed system in Malawi. The seed industry of Malawi was crippled with weak private sector and non availability of certified seeds to farmers. Sathguru’s decade long national and international experience helped in replication of successful Indian seed village model in Malawi. Sathguru brought in academic and research institute, private enterprises and farmers of the Malawian seed value chain under the same umbrella to bring in a paradigm shift in the seed value chain of Malawi. Towards creation of an holistic impact Sathguru further strengthened agricultural curriculum and introduced technology driven knowledge delivery methodologies.
- For the first time, a public entity engaged across seed value chain starting from its own breeder seeds to production of certified seeds with the help of smallholder farmers and marketing those seeds through a local seed company
- Increased revenue of beneficiary farmers by over 2.7 times
- For the first time, LUANAR demonstrated effectiveness of small scale mechanized Seed Processing– and introduced a model for adoption by local seed companies
- Dissemination of the improved seed varieties with high germination rate will eventually help in enhancing agricultural productivity of over 1000 farmers due to increased productivity of over 1.8 times
Global Collaborations
Sathguru paved a developmental path for Malawi by harnessing its global collaborations with industry experts, seed technicians and seed companies to implement the Seed Village Model in Malawian seed system in addition to extensive support systems from Sathguru’s linkages with Indian as well as African research and educational institutions. Sathguru roped in training and academic expertise of US and Indian universities to revamp curriculum of Malawi.
- Created a platform bringing together all seed sector stakeholders (Government, Regulators, University, Private Sector, NGO’s and Farmers) to collaborate effectively for the development of Malawian Seed Sector for the first time
- LUANAR collaborated with Indian public & Private entities for accessing quality germplasm to validate & eventually transfer to private sector for commercialization
Research and Technology Management
Sathguru’s sectoral expertise in Seed Sciences helped in facilitation of translational research to improve the legume varieties at LUANAR that was later transferred to the farming community. Sathguru engrossed itself in creating farmer-university-private sector linkages.
- MOU with CGIAR System, Indian Universities and Indian Private sector for access to improved germplasm
- Commercialized LUANAR’s seed varieties by transferring to local farmers for production of Quality Certified seeds
Market & Value Chain Development
Sathguru’s in depth understanding of operational issues in supply chains of agriculture, we streamlined the market processes of procurement, purchase, distribution and marketing of seeds. Sathguru’s operational expertise in mapping the disconnected elements in the seed supply chain provided the much needed collaboration to integrate the chain with quality players at different levels of seed multiplication, collection and aggregation, process and dissemination.
- Produced over 30 tons of quality-certified Beans & Cow pea seeds
- Involving around 300 small holder farmers (including 100 women farmers)
- Covering 90 ha of farmer fields and 10 hectares of University land.
Capacity Building
Sathguru aimed to build and autonomous seed system in Malawi ensuring self-sufficiency at each stage. For this, Sathguru identified the need of trained professional to develop a robust seed system in Malawi. Having in-depth knowledge of on ground realities, we brought our industry and academic experts on board to train industry professionals in agri-business, seed production & marketing.
- 16 faculties trained on curriculum development through faculty exchange on Seed Systems and Seed Science Curriculum
- 90 industry professionals trained on agri-business, seed production & marketing
- Government Officials trained in Seed Regulatory Procedures, Systems and Frameworks
- Faculty received exposure & training on improved techniques of technology driven knowledge- > 200 personnel trained on OLAT
Information, Communication & Technology
Sathguru’s dynamic working experience with different agricultural institutions helped in framing the digitalization of courses and establishing of e-learning classrooms at LUANAR. Sathguru’s inherent understanding of regional requirements, technical aspects and processes coupled with its in-house information technology capabilities enabled it to introduce technology driven teaching methodologies at LUANAR.
- Creation of cyber library , digitalization of over 700 lectures
- Created a strong learner community of 2000 students that access e learning platform “OLAT”
- E-classrooms provided access global lectures and course content
- Facilitated access to over 100 hours of lectures from global faulty including those from Cornell University and Indian agricultural universities
- Reformed education system through introduction of New Platforms like TEEAL
Policy Advocacy
Sathguru has been actively working in the sphere of regulatory and policy formulation across the boundaries. By involving its network of various academics and industry, Sathguru sensitized public and private sector stakeholders in Malawi on importance of Polices and Regulations for the development of the Malawian Seed Sector. In order to bring about an impact oriented transformation Sathguru worked towards improving the guidelines for quality certified seed development and seed act for better seed distribution across the country.
- Introduced Industry Relevant Seed Sector Curriculum at Undergraduate and Graduate levels
- Launched vocational training programs for seed industry professionals
- Introduced experiential learning in seed science courses to benefit both students and Industry
- Formalized Launched certificate programs for Seed Inspectors
- Sensitized seed value chain stakeholders on guidelines for quality certified seed development and seed act
An Overview Of The AIP Malawi Impact
