Project empowers farmers in Zomba
Farmers in Traditional Authority Kuntumanji in Zomba District have expressed optimism that a livelihood project that Churches Action in Relief Development (Card) is implementing in the area will transform their lives.
They said this on Thursday during a media tour to appreciate how the Jersey Overseas Aid project is improving farmers’ lives after being affected by Cyclone Freddy in 2023.
Davison Chauluka, a farmer from group village head Namasalima, said they learned many things, including practising permaculture.

He said: “In October 2024, Card trained us to grow different crops in one garden and how to make Mbeya fertiliser.
“I am now benefitting from my farming because I have variety of crops.”
Besides farming, the project empowered people to save money and Kachere Village Savings and Loans Association is one of them.
The group’s chairperson Hajara Chikumba said they saved K2.4 million which they used to buy farm inputs.
He said: “We were not able to realise much yield because we were cultivating crops on two gardens but Card supported our group financially and we have grown maize on a big field and rice in seven plots.
“We expect to buy a solar pump to venture into irrigation farming.”
Jersey Overseas Aid project officer Lewis Thindwa said the initiative seeks to build resilience among communities living along Lake Chilwa.
“We are working with village natural resources management committees which are responsible for biodiversity in their areas as our goal is to protect the biodiversity along the lake,” he said.
Card is implementing the project with funding from Jersey Overseas Aid and Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund through Trocaire in Phalombe, Zomba and Machinga districts