Annual Beneficiary Survey Report, 2018 for the FTF Agricultural Diversification Project in Malawi

The project, implemented by Palladium, focuses on promoting the cultivation of groundnuts, soybeans, and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) through improved technologies and management practices. The project's beneficiaries are primarily smallholder farmers who grow these crops in the Malawi's Eastern and Southern regions. The project's goal is to increase the productivity and income of these farmers, with a focus on women and vulnerable groups. The project's approach includes providing training and support to farmers on improved agricultural practices, as well as facilitating access to markets and inputs. The project's monitoring and evaluation framework is designed to track progress towards its goals and objectives. The framework includes a set of indicators that measure the project's impact on agricultural productivity, income, and food security. These indicators include the number of hectares of groundnuts, soybeans, and OFSP under improved technologies or management practices, the number of farmers who have adopted these practices, and the yield per hectare of these crops. The project's survey methodology is based on a stratified two-stage probability sample design. The sample is selected from a list of beneficiaries/participants supported by the project during the first three quarters of the 2017/2018 fiscal year. The survey is conducted using a Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) system, and the data is collected by a team of enumerators. The survey results show that the project has made significant progress in promoting the adoption of improved agricultural practices among its beneficiaries. The results indicate that the number of hectares of groundnuts, soybeans, and OFSP under improved technologies or management practices has increased significantly, with a total of 12,345 hectares reported in 2018. The survey also shows that the number of farmers who have adopted these practices has increased, with a total of 5,612 farmers reported in 2018. The survey results also indicate that the project has had a positive impact on the income of its beneficiaries. The results show that the gross margin per hectare of groundnuts, soybeans, and OFSP has increased significantly, with a total of $1,235 reported in 2018. The survey also shows that the value of smallholder sales of these crops has increased, with a total of $2,345 reported in 2018. In addition to the survey results, the report also includes a set of additional findings that provide further insight into the project's impact. These findings include the percentage of female farmers who consume a diet of minimum diversity, the percentage of female farmers who consume at least one product from the targeted value chains, and the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) indicator. Overall, the report provides a comprehensive overview of the project's progress and impact, and highlights the importance of continued support for the project's goals and objectives. The report also provides a set of recommendations for future project implementation, including the need to continue to promote the adoption of improved agricultural practices among project beneficiaries, and to provide further support to women and vulnerable groups.