New farming practices address environmental and climate challenges in Malawi

Smallholder farmers in Malawi produce 75 % of the food consumed nationally. However, most have less than a hectare on which to grow food, which, in combination with declining soil fertility, extreme weather patterns and poor access to credit and extension (training) services, severely limits their production.

To overcome these challenges, the European Union launched the KULIMA programme, worth €111 million, to promote sustainable agricultural growth that increases food security, incomes and employment in the context of a changing climate.

The programme will train 400 000 Malawian farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices over an area of 6 000 km2. It will also strengthen agriculture sector governance and facilitate access to credit for small and medium enterprises and smallholder cooperatives, helping to boost the development of agricultural value chains, employment opportunities and incomes.

“When you go on the ground and begin to address all the problems that exist, there is no way to avoid environmental issues. KULIMA’s approach has been to effectively mainstream environmental concerns – loss of biodiversity, land degradation and climate change – along the agricultural value chain,” said Jean-Pierre Busogoro, KULIMA programme manager.

The KULIMA programme should thus contribute to Malawi’s goal to double the annual growth rate of its agriculture, from 1.6 % to 3 % by 2023, and to its progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

The programme is implemented in partnership with the Government of Malawi, in particular the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the German development agency (GIZ) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Farmers managing tomato crops on recently developed terraces

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ECCM Facility