Mgwirizano 2 SLG Invests MK700,000 in Farming

Members of the group in their tomato garden.

Healthy fruit.

The Mgwirizano 2 Savings and Loan Group, located in Group Village Head Minama, Traditional Authority Malemia in Zomba District, has allocated MK700,000 towards crop production. Prior to receiving seed capital through the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) project, members underwent training in business management, saving, and borrowing. According to Group Chairperson Fanny Bauleni, this training enabled members to collectively decide on the investment strategy and manage the anticipated income effectively.

Mixed cropping.

The group has cultivated 1,500 tomato plants and is also growing maize and other vegetables on more than two acres of land. “We expect to earn at least MK1 million from the tomatoes,” states Fanny. Members are collaborating to maintain the crops and safeguard their investment. They also anticipate harvesting at least 30 bags of maize. While the tomatoes and vegetables are intended for income generation, the maize serves a different purpose.

Members of Mgwirizano 2 SLG are proud in their maize field.

Proceeds from vegetable sales are reinvested into the Savings and Loan Group to enhance the funds available for members to save and borrow. This enables members to access loans for personal business ventures or household needs. The maize will be distributed among members to ensure their families have sufficient food. “We do not intend to sell the maize. We want every member to have maize at home,” Fanny explains. Through this strategy, the group is leveraging a single farming enterprise to boost both household income and food security.

The SP-GEAR project has provided MK700,000 in seed capital to 640 Savings and Loan Groups in Zomba, Mzimba North, and Mzimba South. Under Output 2 of the SP-GEAR project, CRECCOM supports Social Cash Transfer Programme beneficiaries, particularly women and girls, to strengthen their businesses, diversify income sources, and become more self-reliant. The project is funded by the European Union and the Government of Ireland, with implementation coordinated through UNICEF Malawi.