Page 70 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

AFAP Malawi:

Harnessing Public Private Partnerships

To promote Area-Specific Fertilizer

Blending in Malawi

For Malawi’s development agenda to be realized, there is a vital need for strong cooperation
between agents in the private sector and government. While the contribution of individual
institutions to Malawi’s development cannot be overlooked, Public Private Partnerships (PPP) have
proved to be very successful in enhancing the quality of service delivery received by everybody
in the society.

The positive impacts of PPP have already been shown by Resources and Conservation. He explains further, “As
“Strengthening Fertilizer Systems through the Promotion government we do not have the expertise to engage the
of Appropriate Balanced Fertilizer in Malawi”, a consortium fertilizer companies, as such, the presence of AFAP fills this
of three complementary organizations comprising: gap.” As such, Deputy Director Kapunda directly attributed
the Department of Land Resources Conservation the success of the consortium to the sharing of resources
(DLRC); the Story Workshop Educational Trust (SWET); between partners. For example, in 2020, AFAP secured
and the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership 1000kg of material from private fertilizer companies to
(AFAP). The overall goal of this project is to facilitate the be trialed in the coming season. The fertilizer chosen was
production of appropriate soil and crop-specific fertilizer based on four recommendations from the Department
blends for increased productivity to boost incomes of Agricultural Research (DARS). This very important
among smallholder farmers in Malawi. Specifically, these and crucial partnership is ensuring all stakeholders are
interventions focused on developing and validating working together towards the realization of more site-
fertilizer blends and creating awareness of any new specific fertilizers based on soil and crop needs so that
fertilizer blends. smallholder farmers can improve productivity.

The project, which commenced in 2018, has since Since the government is already represented in the project
created a symbiotic relationship between government through the Department of Lands, it is also strongly
and the public sector. “One of the major successes of aware of its initiative and its objectives. Consequently,
the project has been the sharing of expertise which is government policy can take the project into account
complementary to the needs of the project,” says Gilbert and reflect this intention to other relevant government
Kupunda, deputy director in the Department of Land ministries and departments.

68
68