- Malawi has experienced increased climate-related disasters like cyclones and droughts in recent years, damaging crops and livelihoods. - The speaker, Ellen Matupi, lost most of her crops and possessions in Cyclone Idai in 2019. - Women farmers in particular face challenges of limited land ownership and access to resources. - Through her organization, Ellen promotes agroecological practices like seed saving, intercropping, and composting to build soil fertility and climate resilience without chemicals. - Farmers adopting these methods have seen equal or higher yields compared to conventional farming, preserving the long-term viability of the soil.

1. Supporting Climate-Resilient Agroecology in Malawi
Ellen Matupi, President, Coalition of Women Farmers in
Malawi (COWFA)
Brussels Briefing n. 59 on “Agroecology for Sustainable Food Systems”
Wednesday 15th January 2020, 9h00-13h00 organized by CTA, ACP Secretariat,
European Commission (DG Devco), Concord, IPES-FOOD

2. Outline
• Climate Change Situation in Malawi
• 2019 Cyclone Idai Disaster
• Women Farmers Specific Challenges
• Seed Multiplication
• Intercropping
• Manure production
• Benefits of Agroecology

3. Climate Change Situation in Malawi
• Malawi has been affected by Disasters almost
every year for the past few years
• Country was hit by EL Nino in 2015/16;
Cyclone idai in 2019
• Waste floods, dry spells, fall army worms, land
degradation
– Government declaring state of emergency

4. 2019 Cyclone Idai Disaster
• In 2019 Malawi was hit by waste floods - Crops and
Fields were washed away, people drowned, livestock
killed
• I was personally affected and lost almost everything –
only those crops that were planted upland away from
the floods survived.
• In 2016 the rains did not come. Crops wilted because
there was not enough water and it was too hot.
• We also got new pests – Fall Army Worm – it is
uncontrollable to date.
• So we become food insecure

5. Women Farmers Specific Challenges
• Women farmers do not own land, which
means they cannot decide what to plant,
because they may not have that land
tomorrow
• Limited access to agriculture public extension
services (1 officer serving over 3000 farmers)
• Public Extension not promoting agroecology
• Limited participation of women SHFS in
decision making processes which result into
lack of prioritization of women SHFs needs

6. Seed Multiplication
• Myself and my fellow women farmers from
COWFA;
• Produce, use, save and share indigenous seeds
• We have Individual seed banks
• The seeds are promoted and shared among
individual farmers and through seed fares
• This empowers us (SHWF) to have full control
of seeds and what to grow at what time

7. Seed Multiplication cont..,
• SHWF cannot afford to buy seeds (hybrid)
every time
• Hybrid seeds are expensive and not available
on time (to those that use them)

8. Intercropping
• Farming method that COWFA practices
• Involves planting or growing more than one
crop at the same time and on the same piece
of land
• This helps to curb the challenge of shortage of
land by smallholder women farmers
• I own 5 hectares of land growing: 3 hectares-
maize, 1-hectare beans, Half soya, Half
groundnuts

9. • These leguminous plants like (including, sugar
beans, soya beans) which are nitrogen fixing
plants, fertilize the soil naturally
• This technology is showcased and shared to
fellow women farmers through the seed fairs
and learning visits
• ActionAid Malawi support us by documenting
the best practices and share them widely
among smallholder farmers at all levels
Intercropping cont..,

10. Manure Production
• We produce manure from crops and animal
dungs – cattle, goat and pig
• We use this to make compost and apply to the
soil, and we let the soil feed the plant
• We use mulching – I use dried grass to cover
the soil, so that the soil moisture is not lost
• Use of traditional knowledge and practices to
fight pests ie; fall army worms

11. Agroecology Manure cont..,
• When my friend came to visit, she said “Ellen
why are you wasting time to look for fertilisers
when you are keeping pigs, cows and
chickens?” She told me how to make this
manure. I did it and used it and harvested.
Today I am still using that.
• I have now forgotten about chemical
fertilisers!

12. Agroecology manure cont..,
• But this year I wanted to show people in town
the benefits of agroecology.
• In town I have a small plot of land. I brought
manure. All my friends came to look. Now
they are all using manure.

13. Facts About Agroecology
• The common assumption that sustainable
agriculture or agro-ecological methods are
less productive than high-inputs conventional
systems is incorrect
• I myself have experienced this.
• In 2008 I planted my maize. I had no money to
buy fertilizer. So my crop failed. There were no
natural nutrients in the soil

14. Benefits of Agroecology
• Farmers within the COWFA network, including
myself, adopting agro-ecological methods
have produced equal and sometimes
substantially increased yields per unit area
compared to those using conventional
methods
• I have been working with farmers in the
villages for many years. Now they know and
are using these practices

15. Benefits Continue..,
• Agroecology is important for women because
it is cheap, and we make the manure locally
• It preserves soil moisture, which is important
for the crop. Without water the crops cannot
grow
• With chemical fertilizers the soil becomes very
hard and difficult for water to enter the soils

16. Conclusion
Thank You
Zikomo
Asante