By Vincent Nhlema

Mashaka Tepatepa, born in 1981, from Chataghalara village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwankhunikira, Rumphi District, is one of the farmers who for years depended on tobacco for his family livelihood until six years ago when he decided to diversify into legumes. He embarked on growing common beans, which have proved to be a game-changer for his family.

Tepatepa is a member of the North Viphya Farmers’ Association, operating under the National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM), who are working in partnership with governments of Norway and Ireland to improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers through farming business.

“In the first few years of my farming, the tobacco production business was profitable until when prices began to dwindle after 2008. Since then, it has been difficult to find tangible profits from the crop. Ironically, costs for inputs remained high such that after sales, most of the money was spent on paying loans, labour and other costs incurred during the season. I remained with too little money. It did not make business sense,” said Tepatepa.

Such challenges forced him to find an alternative crop. Beans proved to be the available option for him. He first considered the cost of production, market availability and selling price prevailing in his area. In 2017, he cultivated common beans as a cash crop for the first time.

By the year 2020, Tepatepa had fully shifted from being a tobacco farmer into a bean farmer. Bean farming had become the mainstay for his household. He has not looked back since.

“Since I ventured into bean business, I have noted that prices keep rising each year, increasing my profit. Because of the good price being offered, I have been increasing production area each year and I am also growing the crop multiple times in a year. I yield more beans from winter production because there are fewer pests and diseases compared to the rainfed production,” said Tepatepa.

Bean production business enabled Tepatepa to dream big even though living in a remote area, where cell phone network is hard to get. He has constructed a decent 7 roomed house, with plaster finish inside and out, a ceiling, cement floor, and some furniture. Farming business has made life comfortable for his 6-member household.

Imange: Tepatepa and his children standing in front of their newly constructed home.

To ease his family mobility, Tepatepa acquired a motorcycle, while he saves some money with which he intends to buy a vehicle which he wants to use for taxi business in the area, to diversify his income sources.

Looking at how the farming business is performing, it gives Tepatepa hope and comfort that his four children will achieve their dreams since he is able to provide for their school fees and other needs. Tepatepa said with the improved income, his household is food and nutrition secure all year round.

Tepatepa’s life is an example of how a smallholder farmer’s life can change if one decides to take farming as a profitable business as promoted by NASFAM with support from their development partners, Norwegian government and Irish government.

Tepatepa saw a market opportunity in his farmer association, that mainly depends on beans for its operations, and utilised that opportunity to grow more beans and sell to the association for increased profitability.

NASFAM promotes crop diversification with emphasis on legumes that demand less inputs, while helping improve soil health through nitrogen fixation, and in most cases have a readily available market.