Page 78 - AFAP Success Stories 2020

Agribusiness Advisor (CAAs) in addition to his own 7 products. The field days also act as a marketing tool for
outlets (shops) located at Nathenje, Nanjiri, Chigwirizano, both respective and prospective farmers to appreciate,
Area 23 (2 outlets), Kauma and Kanengo all in Lilongwe. interact and learn new farming technologies.
He is one of the leading agro-dealer businesses operating
in the district of Lilongwe. Gomonda has been very
instrumental in establishment of demos for demand The Impact of COVID -19 on Extension
creation and awareness of new fertilizer blends in both at Agriculture Direct
AGRA and BMGF projects.
Business has not the same this time of the year as
compared to other years. Many businesses have been
Extension Services affected with the new Corona Virus (Covid-19). AD
has also not been spared. The Covid-19 has negatively
Gomonda has one (1) extension agent, Kenneth Singini affected our business creating fear among our farmers
-Extension Worker for AD (on the left) based at Nathenje resulting in most farmers being afraid to reach out to our
Shop but he also oversees other outlets as well as the shops to purchase agri- inputs. This fear has lowered the
retailers under AD. When AFAP first introduced the sales significantly. The purchasing power has also gone
concept of adding extension services to hub business with many markets still an unopened. The pandemic has
development, Gomonda was one the few hubs who did not also spared the Extension Unit of AD
not welcome the idea wholeheartedly until when he saw
the results on the ground. “Let me be frank with you I was
adamant with recruiting an extension worker but now How AD is overcoming some of the
with or without the project I will maintain my extension COVID -19 Challenges
worker”
Despite the negative impact of the Covid-19 to our
operations; we have come up with some ways, which
The Impact of COVID -19 on we believe that it will positively contribute in helping our
Agriculture Direct Business farmers. AD management has come up with guidelines
that will ensure social distancing and restriction on the
As a company AD had planned to reach out to a target
of about 6000 farmers during this season of harvesting number of farmers who can attend any particular event.
and winter demos with topics on post-harvest handling, This has led to fewer participants and also in compliance
chemical calibration and safe-use and winter cropping with such guidelines.
but these activities have been affected by the pandemic.
In addition these are not the only activities affected AD
had planned postharvest field days which failed to take On the Counter Advice
place in most of our operational areas and it has been a This is one of the approaches our sales personnel have
big blow to us as a company, since these field days act been using and we are using the same to reach out to
as both learning and marketing platform for our business our valued farmers who visit us directly to all our AD

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