For the people of Chiwopsa Village, Traditional Authority Mkhumba in Phalombe District, achieving food sufficiency had long been a distant dream.
The community had been plagued by natural disasters such as flooding and dry spells, leaving them vulnerable to food insecurity. However, with the introduction of modern agricultural methods, the community has been able to transform their lives and build resilience to climate shocks.
Dyce Pensulo, a lead farmer in the community, vividly remembers the struggles of gathering enough yields due to unpredictable weather patterns. He recounts how the use of old agricultural methods exacerbated the problem of food insufficiency.
In response to these challenges, the community came together to form an irrigation club, which has been instrumental in promoting food security and economic stability. The community’s efforts were further bolstered by training and guidance from the Cycle for Integrated Community Development (Cicod), a local implementing organisation for the Climate Just Communities Project. The project, funded by the Scottish government and implemented by DAI Global UK, aims to promote climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods in Malawi.
Through the use of modern agricultural techniques, farmers like Pensulo have been able to significantly improve their yields and transform their lives. He notes that the knowledge gained on climate-smart agriculture is vital in building resilience and overcoming challenges which had been haunting different households in the area.
“Previously, we used to carry out our farming practices the old way, which had negative results on our yield outcomes. The harvest could only last for a few months and, as a man, I would always be forced to find other means of sourcing food like doing piecework in the neighbouring Mozambique,” narrates Pensulo
He says he has seen his life significantly transformed with the proceeds he got from the winter farming last season. He is now able to support his family financially, pay school fees and sustain life. He now has pigs and goats as benefits from his farming business and the irrigation club.
“I am now on a journey to financial stability,” he says. “Since I am now able to harvest more than I used to in previous years, I can support my household financially,” explains the farmer
Pensulo explains that the use of organic manure to retain soil fertility, use of box ridges to keep water and moist in the soil and other soil health techniques are helping greatly in increasing yield even in times when the rain is very inadequate.
“Now we are able to harvest a lot more from a small space through the use of organic manure and following step by step modern agriculture practices such as ridge spacing, seeds and creation of box ridges. With the proceeds, we are able to support and sustain our households financially, a thing which was not easy to do in the past.” Narrates Pensulo
Ellen Gwembele, a woman farmer in the club, echoes Pensulo’s sentiments. She recounts how training and support from Cicod enabled her to cultivate a successful tomato crop, which has transformed her life and the well-being of her family.
Gwembele says the proper use of organic manure in retaining soil fertility helped in boosting her tomato yield.
“Before planting my tomato seeds, I applied Mbeya fertilizer, which is a mixture of pig dung, maize husks, and ash. I planted my tomato seeds and went through all the phases until I started reaping from what I sowed.”
As a widow, Gwembele says her family was overjoyed with the progress she started making from her tomato farming business.
“After harvesting and selling tomatoes from my farm, I decided to do various things at home. I bought and installed solar-powered electricity at my house. I also bought maize and a bicycle for my daughter who was selected for secondary school as one way of easing her mobility,” explains Gwembele
Agricultural extension development coordinator Toney Finoh notes that farmers in the district have benefited significantly from the project, which has helped improve food sufficiency and economic growth.
He says the project has helped in empowering farmers by revamping various community structures in the aftermath of natural disasters such as Cyclone Freddy.
“The project is helping farmers have sufficient food in their homes and surplus to sell for economic gains through the distribution of modern seed varieties, livestock pass-on, and fruit trees,” explains Finoh
Project coordinator Sekani Mkonda adds that the project has had a significant impact on the community, which heavily relied on rain-fed agriculture for a long time and was food insufficient.
“Most of the farmers used to rely a lot on rain-fed agriculture, which has for the longest time proven not to be reliable. The project introduced irrigation farming as one way of empowering the farmers so they can harvest at least three times a year, making them food sufficient and economically stable too,” he says.
Mkonda says now the project has reached over a thousand households with modern agricultural interventions and other disaster risk management interventions in the areas where the project is being implemented, empowering them economically while building their resilience to climate change.
He says the project introduced irrigation farming as one way of empowering farmers to harvest at least three times a year, making them food sufficient and economically stable.
