Menu
Close

Sustainable farming solutions

Agroecology is farming that focuses on increasing food production while also making the best use of nature’s resources.

As part of the CCPM’s mission to deliver sustainable development, recently all of our Malawian partners received training in new agroecology techniques, that will help encourage sustainable farming methods in the CCPM communities.

It seeks to help farmers thrive by working with local ecosystems, for example, improving soil and plant quality through available biomass, instead of using chemical fertilizers. Agroecological farmers seek to improve food yields, strengthen fair markets for their produce, enhance healthy ecosystems, and build on ancestral knowledge and customs.

This training was given by Kusamala Institute of Agriculture and Ecology which is a local organisation based in Lilongwe. The organisation was founded in November 2009 and since then has grown from a demonstration plot to a local non-governmental organisation and leading training sessions nationwide.

Through practical training over four days at Chipapa Village, Namunguni in Liwonde, the group worked with the community to redesign the agricultural layout of the village to maximise its sustainability and efficiency. The trainers had previously visited the community and carried out a baseline study of conditions and survey of the geography to provide the basis for the work.

The group then spent time with the community and farmers to conduct site mapping, efficient energy planning, looking at the ecological role of biodiversity, and designing a homestead based on the available resources. The outcome was a design map of the whole area with suggestions for unique agroecological initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, fruit trees and bee keeping.

Particpants gained a valuable perspective that will be taken back to the CCPM communities and help them increase the sustainability and efficiency of their farming.