Empowering Youth Through Agribusiness and Digital Technology in Malawi

By Upile Faith Muhariwa and Brenda Mwagomba

In Malawi, the Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) is playing an instrumental role in combating poverty and enhancing food security among the rural populace. The initiative, championed by the Department of Agriculture Extension Services (DAES), centers around empowering young farmers through the adoption of advanced agricultural practices and digital tools for agricultural development.

SAPP's initiatives span across various regions, with Lilongwe District Agriculture Office boasting 378 youth groups involved in agribusiness. One such group is the Ukwe Youth Agribusiness Group, formed in July 2016 with the aim of alleviating rural youth unemployment.

This group comprises 20 members who engage in the production and marketing of a variety of crops, including maize, soya beans, and tomatoes. They have secured market connections with organizations like the Clinton Foundation, Market Link Support, Sun Seed Oil, and the Agriculture Commodity Exchange. The revenues from their operations have enabled members to acquire assets such as goats and dairy cattle, build houses, and finance education for their relatives.

Leveraging ICT4AgD tools such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and mobile-based applications, the group has successfully expanded its market reach and boosted productivity. These platforms are facilitated by SAPP and include E-Extension platforms, radio and TV programmes, as well as the production of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials.

A shining example of the group's success is Sarah Kachedwa,  a female smallholder agribusiness single farmer and trader aged 34. She comes from Phanga Village, GVH Phanga TA Kabudula, Lilongwe district in Malawi. She has been an active agribusiness farmer for over 10 years.

Her major enterprises are Maize, Tomatoes, Soya beans, and Ground nuts. Her average production levels per year are as follows: Maize – 8700 Kgs, Soya beans – 6500 Kgs, Groundnuts – 4400 Kgs, and Potatoes – 200 Kgs.

Sarah markets the enterprises in collaboration with the Ukwe Youth Agribusiness group and a cooperative that she is part of. She is also a member of Phanga Farm Business School where she acquired farm business management skills and financial management skills. She graduated from the school in 2017.

Sarah has also participated in other trainings like: Warehouse receipts; farm planning and management; marketing and legume production. She trains her fellow youths farmers in the group with the skills she gained from the training.

Sarah is also a member of Gwiritse Producers and marketing cooperative society limited where she was elected as a warehouse secretary for the cooperative. She is responsible for all the warehouse records. The cooperative promotes legume production which she also engages in. Even though Sarah belongs to many groups, she manages her time very well.

It is evident that Sarah has been successful in her farming business as she is able to provide basic needs for her family throughout the year. Additionally, she has managed to construct a house with iron sheets for herself. Sarah has 4 goats, 2 cattle, and 10 chickens as livestock assets for her household. She has also molded some bricks for the construction of another house for her family.

As an innovation, Sarah uses the remains from the livestock she owns to make compost manure which is applied in her maize and legume fields. This has helped her adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and has caused an increase in crop yield.

Sarah also attributes her success to the use of ICT4AgD Platforms that have been introduced in the area through the SAPP Programme. “My produce has increased since I started using the mobile-based applications, Facebook and WhatsApp. These applications have been very handy because information can be accessed at any time. In addition to that, it is easy for me to identify diseases affecting my crops. I have also found better markets and prices for my produce” narrated Sarah.

Some of the challenges of using ICTAgD according to Sarah are bad network connections, expensive internet charges, lack of electricity power that is used for charging their gadgets, and regulation of extension messages. Despite all the challenges, Sarah explained that women’s use of ICT4AgD platforms has since increased in the area.

Sarah is a role model to other youths and farmers in her community. These youths have joined other young farmer clubs that have been established in the area under her leadership. She and other committee members build capacity for these newly formed clubs to ensure that the youths are empowered and take active roles in society.

Upile Faith Muhariwa is the Knowledge Management and Communication Specialist and also CCARDESA ICKM focal point person for Malawi whereas Brenda Mwagomba is the Agribusiness Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture.