Improved farming techniques grow healthy communities

Producing enough food is an ongoing challenge for resource-poor farmers in Northern Malawi. But a Presbyterian World Service & Development-supported program is working to improve the food security, soil fertility and health of about 2,000 households.

Mercy, a mother of four who lives in the area, joined the program in 2000 because her children were malnourished. Soon after, her husband died and she worried she wouldn’t be able to afford supplies such as fertilizer to keep her crops healthy and feed her children.

The PWS&D-supported program taught Mercy organic farming methods that reduced her need for fertilizers. She learned about proper nutrition, as well as techniques that improved the quality of the soil on her fields and she now grows enough food to last her family throughout the year. Her children look forward to eating soy and peanut porridge in the mornings. They are stronger and healthier, so she no longer worries about their nutrition.

Mercy has increased the amount of seed she has and now shares with friends and family. She has produced a surplus of soy and peanuts, which she sells to help pay for necessities such as soap, salt and cooking oil. She and her family are hopeful about the future and look forward to learning more about sustainable agriculture with other farmers in the community.