Scaling Up Agroforestry Farming System in Malawi: A Case of Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project

Abstract

The study addressed the failure to scale up agroforestry farming system in the country. Despite the agroforestry potential to improve maize production, scaling this up is still a challenge in the country. In trying to solve the soil fertility loss which has significantly affected agricultural production in the country, the Malawi Agroforestry Extension Project (MAFE) was implemented between 1992 and 2002. The project had numerous achievements during the implementation period but there is little continuation and scale up of the agroforestry activities in the project sites after the project phased out. The study therefore aimed to: determine the factors affecting agroforestry technology upscaling; identify gaps in scaling up approaches of agroforestry technologies; and recommend best-bet practices for scaling up agroforestry technologies. The study interviewed 164 farmers in MAFE project districts of Mzimba, Ntcheu and Mangochi. Logistic model was used in analyzing data from the study. Results show that farmers’ extension access, perceived usefulness of agroforestry technology, main source of income, educational level of household head, and number of field plots were the main factors affecting the scaling up of the agroforestry technologies in the area. Among others, the study recommended that farmers and extension workers should be actively and jointly engaged in the design of agroforestry projects for effective upscaling and that agroforestry extension services should be promoted for farmers to perceive the usefulness of the technologies to enhance scaling up of the technology.

Keywords

• Agroforestry
• Logistic Model
• Soil fertility
• Scaling up
• Malawi