unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (09/24/89)
Small Farms, But Hardly Beautiful Posting Date: 09/24/89 Source: UNITEX Network, Hoboken, NJ, USA Host: (201) 795-0733 ISSN: 1043-7932 (Financial Times, September 21, 1039 words, by Mike Hall) Mike Hall in Blantyre looks at Malawi's agricultural difficulties One is struck by the blue of the mountains, the red-brown of fertile land, but above all the bright green of huge tobacco fields, carpets of tea and rows of young coffee bushes. This small southern African country's estates offer a vision of wealth. Yet they contrast sharply with the jigsaw puzzle of tiny maize fields tilled by Malawi's peasantry. Almost 2 m families, they make up 85 per cent of the population and are the cause for mounting concern. Some may ask: "Why worry?" Malawi exported maize in the mid-80s - earning a reputation as a success story on a continent plagued by famine. This year, despite widespread floods, Malawi has declared a maize surplus. It is an achievement. But the problem is that at least 60 per cent of peasant farmers will not have harvested enough maize to feed their families for the whole year, let alone earn enough cash for their needs. The surplus has been produced by resource-endowed farmers, about one fifth of the total. Overall, the peasant sector has stagnated. Output grew only 2.6 per cent last year, still well below the population growth of about 3.5 per cent a year. Already 27 per cent of children die before the age of five - the sixth highest in the world, says UNICEF, the United Nations's Childrens' Fund. Over half the survivors are badly malnourished. Past efforts to boost output have largely failed. A recent review of one 10-year project, where substantial foreign aid had been focused, concluded: "... agricultural production declined, living standards deteriorated, and the family income decreased." So what are the constraints on productivity and how can they be addressed? The answers are crucial. Economists say they provide the key to boosting economic growth overall. Land is the biggest problem. About 55 per cent of rural families cultivate only one hectare or less. At present levels of technology, it is simply impossible for them to grow enough. Declining soil fertility is a considerable headache. Land pressures mean that farmers cannot leave their plots fallow, so continuous cultivation has drained away nutrients. As demand for fuel rises, trees are removed and top-soil is washed away. Most small farmers have not adopted "green revolution" technology. They reject available varieties of high-yielding maize, because it is difficult to store and there are heavy losses when it is pounded into flour. The area under hybrid maize last season increased by 46 per cent, but it still makes up only 7.5 per cent of the total area planted to maize, compared with 60 per cent in Kenya. Although fertiliser sales are steadily increasing, mainly because it is being sold in smaller bags, most still cannot afford it. Efforts to extend credit have met with limited success. Credit is disbursed through farmers' clubs of up to about 50 villagers. Although the number of such clubs doubled last year and women are becoming increasingly active in their own clubs, they still cover only 22 per cent of small farmers. Only the * Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501) --- Patt Haring | United Nations | FAX: 212-787-1726 patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information | BBS: 201-795-0733 patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange | (3/12/24/9600 Baud) -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-