Catherine Kulisewa, 26, tried several small-scale business and general farming in a struggle to make ends meet.
The environmental management studies graduate experienced crop losses due to climate change and old-fashioned farming methods.
However, her livelihood and harvests improved after joining the Big2Project launched in May to train the youth in sustainable farming techniques.
The initiative aims to revolutionise agriculture and help farmers yield more from their small plots while protecting the environment and tackling climate change.
Kulisewa was among the pioneer farmers to learn the tricks, including simple irrigation, pest and disease management and how to adapt crops to different seasons.
“I was inspired by the wealth of knowledge they were willing to share,” she says. “The modern farming methods opened my eyes to new possibilities.”
This transformed how the youthful entrepreneur runs her farm in Mitundu, Lilongwe, where she grows tomatoes, onions, maize, Irish potatoes, vegetables, sweet potatoes and sugarcane.
With irrigation, she cultivates some of the crops twice a year.
“Now, I can grow various crops simultaneously and the earnings are increasing. I save money and reinvest in my farming ventures,” she explains.
She observes that her income now surpasses the initial investment, allowing her to grow the savings and farm enterprise.
The project has also deepened her sense of community support.
She belongs to a Big2Project cooperative where 50 members freely share farming tips and assistance.
“I am part of a big family where I can call for help anytime. This fuels my passion to do more in farming,” Kusaliwa says.
Her impression of farming has outgrown the popular quest to feed one’s family.
To her, it is business which pays big and the fruits of her farming are luring many young people to become farmers instead of leaving it to the old folk.
Climate change has awakened her to the need for innovating techniques to reap more from small plots.
“Climate change is real, but the Big2Project has taught me modern techniques such as irrigation and drought-resistant hybrid seed,” she says.
Kulisewa envisions the farm enterprise feeding her community and creating jobs for the youth.
Aconsensus is rising that the switch to commercial farming, one of the pillars of the Malawi 2063 agenda, can help reduce the country’s massive youth unemployment. According to the International Labour Organisation, a quarter of the country’s youthful workforce—aged 18 to 30, seek employment, but cannot find any.
The emergence of youthful farmers is motivating their peers and reshaping young people’s futures, empowering them to thrive in agriculture.
Big2Project founder Blessings Mlelemba says the initiative is entirely self-funded, which limits its potential to reach more people.
“The youth usually face financial difficulties after completing the lessons. Unfortunately, we cannot provide financial assistance,” he says.
Mlelemba urges government and the private sector to support the training and enterprises of the youth who contribute to national agricultural development.
Big2Project offers in-person and online training, allowing participation from remote areas.
Some sessions are free while others attract a K5 000 registration fee.
It has trained more than 1 000 people, including 750 young farmers.
“The main focus is on sustainable farming and commercialisation techniques , ” says Mlelemba. “Of the 750 young trainees, about 200 have already established farms nationwide.”
As the likes of Kulisewa make inroads in the sector once dominated by old people, sustainable farming methods are not only creating economic opportunities for the youth but also boosting food security and shaping the future of agriculture in Malawi.
Agriculture employs over 85 percent of the country ’s workforce, accounting for about 40 percent of the gross domestic product and 83 percent of foreign exchange earnings
