The African Institute for Cooperate Citizenship (AICC) has introduced a Sustainable Food Systems for Rural Resilience and Transformation Programme aimed at engaging local farmers especially women, youth and people with disabilities.

According to Head of Programmes for AICC Driana Luwanda, the programme will be rolled out in targeted areas by applying farming technologies to improve production of targeted value chains.

“This programme unlike the other programmes we have been implementing it is quite holistic in nature because it is touching on a number of things within the agriculture sector and this programme is actually looking at research as one of the first outcomes.

“We are looking at the ability of research institutions to test models for agriculture transformation to test technologies that would likely improve production of targeted value chain,” explained Luwanda.

Luwanda added that the programme will also enable the targeted farmers to have access of their yields to the wider market.

“A part of this programme is also looking at improving and increasing production and productivity of targeted value chains and other component is looking at when the farmer has produced access to profitable markets,” said Luwanda.

And on her part, Gladys Majoni from Kachuwa Club in Dowa District has commended AICC for the programme saying that it has improved their farming activities as a club.

“We as farmers we are indeed benefitting from this programme as they [AICC] have assured us that they will find markets for us to market our yields,” said Majoni.

The program will contribute to improved livelihoods, food and nutrition security for 180,000 households in Malawi in four years’ time. At least 60% of the programme beneficiaries will comprise women.

The programme will be implemented in 5 identified districts of Mchinji, Dowa, Kasungu, Mzimba, and Rumphi.