International Development Grant
Farmer-to-Farmer Agroecology in Malawi
Project Number: CA-3-S065667001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $2,530,337.00
Start Date: October 22, 2012
End Date: March 31, 2018
Duration: 5.4 years
Project Description
The project aims to strengthen the farming practices of more than 30 000 smallholder farmers in organic farming by helping them apply ecological principles to how they practise agriculture using participatory farmer-to-farmer teaching methods. It supports the development of farmer associations and improved marketing through farmer-to-farmer exchanges and training. The project also seeks to pilot a youth-led small business initiative to promote the supply of nutritious foods on the local market while supporting youth livelihoods. The project aims to train 6 000 farming households on sustainable agroecological methods nutrition and gender issues and provide technical support to farmers in production and cooperative development. The initiative also supports 200 farmers on a pilot project of growing local yellow maize seeds to improve vitamin A deficiency in young children. In addition this project aims to train 200 youth and 100 farmers in small business operations and market development food processing and preservation methods.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: Identified households increase the quantity and diversity of their farm yields and increasingly adopt agroecological practices in their farming routines; Women from participating households have greater access to and control over resources and increased decision-making power over agriculture food security and income; Food insecure households in the district obtain higher income levels and consume more nutritious food; Increasingly local (youth and farmer) enterprises establish markets for agricultural products as well as market linkages; Farmer research teams operate on principles of transparency inclusion accountability social justice democracy and gender equity whereby farmers have greater input into research and development activities.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2018) include: (1) 6 651 farmers were provided access to technical agroecological advice from farmer research teams; (2) gender-inclusive household decision-making increased from on average 25.3% in Ekwendeni and 34% in Lobi to end-line results of on average 41% in both Ekwendeni and Lobi based on percentage of households reporting shared decision-making between men and women on a variety of topics; (3) at the beginning of the project 27% of households were food secure at the end of the project end-line surveys indicate that 63.1% of Ekwendeni men 39.73% of Ekwendeni women 54.5% of Lobi men and 40.32% of Lobi women are now food secure; and (4) at the beginning of the project 11% of farmers in Ekwendeni and 17% in Lobi had grown orange maize end-line surveys indicate that 43.47% of men and 45.67% of women in Ekwendeni and 80.95% of men and 69.41% of women in Lobi have now grown orange maize by the end of the project. These results contributed to more resilient networked communities in Malawi sustainably managing their lands and improving their livelihoods food security and nutrition.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Western University
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
YFMInternaAssistPartnershp&Programing Br
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Donor country personnel
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP