USADF Signs Four Grants to Support Thousands of Farmers in Malawi

LILONGWE, Malawi, August 19, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United States African Development Foundation has signed four grants that will support grassroots groups in Malawi. The grants will benefit Lilongwe South Smallholder Farmers Association (LLSSFA), Nkhatabay Coffee Cooperative (NBCGC), Misuku Coffee Growers Co-operative Society (MCGCS), and Coffee Growers Co-Operative Society (PCGCS).

Reflecting on the grants, USADF President Lloyd O. Pierson stated, “USADF funds groups at the grassroots level. These grants support farmers in Malawi to produce more goods to sell on markets, increasing their incomes and their quality of life.”

LLSSFA is located in the Lilongwe District in the Central Region of Malawi. An umbrella organization supported more than 6,000 farmers from three farmer associations, LLSSFA works to improve the livelihoods of farmers by providing technical assistance in production and marketing of crops such as soy, maize and beans. The association takes an active approach to create awareness of gender, literacy, environmental, and HIV/AIDS issues. The four year grant will assist LLSSFA construct a warehouse, develop a business plan and marketing strategy, purchase a van, drill a borehole, and enhance working capital.

MCGCS assists farmers to grow and market coffee in Chitipa district. With 727 members, the cooperative grows and raises Arabica coffee to improve the living standards of members and the local community. The three year grant will fund processing equipment, training, a trip to visit organic coffee farms in Tanzania, enhance the revolving loan fund in an effort to increase incomes and create jobs.

With 300 members, NBCGC is a cooperative made up of 11 business centers which operate in four zones in Nkata Bay district. The cooperative grows and markets coffee and provides services and market access to farmers. The four year grant will fund the purchase of processing equipment and a truck, training, and enhance the revolving loan fund.

Located in the Rumphi district of Mzuzu, PCGCS is a coffee cooperative with 534 members, 123 of whom are women. The cooperative seeks to increase the incomes and value of life for its farmer members, their families, and the surrounding communities by increasing the volume of coffee produced and improving the yield of specialty coffee. The three year grant will finance construction of pulper houses and processing equipment, training in agronomic practices and good governance, a truck, and office equipment.

USADF established programming in Malawi in 2008 and began funding projects in 2009. USADF receives co-funding from the Government of Malawi. The country’s current portfolio stands at nine investment projects totaling more than $1.5 dollars. For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-Malawi.htm .

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations. Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in enhance working capitol. excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.