Dowa West Rural Development Project

Although the densely settled Dowa West area has one of the highest potentials in Malawi for maize, tobacco and groundnut production, most of the population is poor. People lack the skills and means to exploit the area’s production potential and its easy access to the capital city of Lilongwe.

The objective of the project was to help small-scale farmers improve their incomes by improving their agricultural production, particularly food crops. It also had the aim of raising living standards by installing additional domestic water and health facilities and improving community education. At the same time it worked to develop local institutions and carry out research as a basis for later investment planning. This was one of 40 projects to be implemented under the government’s National Rural Development Programme.

Through the project, IFAD investments supported:

• agricultural extension services, farmer training and research activities
• agricultural credit in the form of seasonal credit and medium-term loans
• livestock and veterinary services
• a pilot burley tobacco scheme for small-scale farmers
• expanded storage facilities for inputs and crops
• community development to build local leadership capacity
• a pilot project to improve water supplies
• expanded health services
• road construction

Some 50 per cent of farmers were reached with credit, and fertilizer use increased by 83 per cent.

Source: IFAD