Catholic Charity Partners with Program to Boost Rural Farmer Incomes Nationwide
During a media tour in Ntchenachena on Monday, beneficiaries highlighted dramatic economic improvements stemming from the program's agricultural interventions.
RUMPHI, Malawi— The Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) has launched a $25 million agricultural initiative to transform smallholder farming across five districts, targeting 150,000 households with sustainable agriculture techniques, writes Tionge Hara.
The TRANSFORM program, funded by Norwegian Church Aid-DanChurch Aid and the Norwegian Embassy, aims to improve food security, income generation, and climate resilience for rural farmers.
During a media tour in Ntchenachena on Tuesday, beneficiaries highlighted dramatic economic improvements stemming from the program's agricultural interventions.
"At first we used to suffer so much," said Magret Msukwa, a local farmer.
"Now we can source income to pay school fees for our children."
Thokozani Mpomba, CADECOM's lead agronomist, said the program has enabled farmers to generate substantial earnings from small land plots.
"Seeing them graduating from poverty within a short time is impressive," Mpomba said.
He noted that farmers who previously struggled to produce enough crops can now earn more than 1 million Malawian kwacha in six months.
The three-and-a-half-year initiative provides seeds, agricultural training, and technical support to help farmers diversify crops and improve productivity.
The program represents a collaborative effort to address rural poverty through sustainable agricultural development, specifically empowering smallholder farmers to become more economically resilient.