Chigwirizano Club Benefits From Skills for Resilience Project
Based in Traditional Authority Likoswe, Group Village Headman Manguwo in Ntauchira village in Chiradzulu district, Chigwirizano club comprises of 25 members of which 15 are females and 10 males; 3 of the members who have various types of disabilities.
The club is under a Skills for Resilience Project (SRP) also known as young farmers club being implemented by DAPP Malawi in partnership with the Norwegian Association of Disability (NAD) and the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA).
“When the project started in September 2018, we were happy that it would be empowering young farmers like us with knowledge and skills on the importance of adapting climate smart agriculture, entrepreneurship and agribusiness skills because we did not have any knowledge of these things” said the chairman of the club Mr Innocent Brown
With the help of field officers, the club has planted maize, Cassava and groundnuts this planting season and are expecting a bounty harvest.
“We believe that we will harvest more on this piece of land, the crops will be sold in order to purchase more seeds for the next planting season. The field officers have been helpful as they have taught us new ways of farming in line with the changing climate so that we can increase our yield” Said Mr Brown
Apart from farming techniques, the project is also promoting good hygiene and sanitatary practices. People are encouraged to construct firewood saving stoves, dish racks, toilets with drop whole covers and hand washing mechanisms like tippy taps.
Agricultural practices in the project include; conservation farming, soil fertility improvement, sustainable crop production, bee keeping, climate smart livestock production, post-harvest handling, agro – processing, entrepreneurship and agribusiness management, rain water harvesting and the establishment of gardens.
“This project has taught us a lot already and I believe that it will bring lasting transformation to our lives not only now but for the future too” says Mr Brown.
