A few years ago, Chikhosi Nguluwe, a cotton farmer from Yonamu village in Salima struggled to produce 400 Kilogrammes of cotton per acre. But with access to better seeds and training on sustainable farming practices, he has turned things around.
“Last season my harvest doubled to 800 kilogrammes per acre,” he said. From the proceeds of his 2.5-acre cotton farm, he has even built a house and set aside some funds for a rainy day.
Nguluwe is one of the many farmers who have benefited from Solidaridad, an international organisation that has been working to empower smallholder farmers in the country.
During a five-day visit in Malawi, Solidaridad’s International Supervisory Board lauded the country for its efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lilongwe, Solidaridad Global Executive Director, Andre de Freitas, said Malawi’s innovative and resilient agricultural practices have had a positive impact on the lives of small-scale farmers, with several projects holding the potential to be scaled globally.
“Malawi was chosen among over 40 countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America because of the innovative approaches being implemented under different agricultural and technological programs, which are directly transforming lives,” said de Freitas.
Shugu Kanyemba, Managing Director for Solidaridad Southern Africa, highlighted the transformative role of smallholder farmers, stating that they are not only beneficiaries but key in reshaping global supply chains into equitable systems.
According to Given Phiri, Solidaridad Malawi Country Manager, the organisation has trained over 2,400 farmers through its soybean project, while producing and distributing 160 tons of cotton seed to 40,000 farmers.
