A Walk into an Agroecological Farm
Soils, Food and Healthy Communities’ (SFHC) agroecological farm in Ekwendeni, Malawi, showcases agroecological practices that have evolved over two decades. These practices include intercropping, ridge planting and use of pollinators such as bees, bio-pesticides such as bokashi, and planting trees to provide shade and control pests, among others.
On August 8, 2024, walking into this farm allowed the team to experience these practices firsthand and learn from each other. A few photos below show their experiences.
Esther Lupafya, Director, SFHC, welcomed the team to the SFHC’s agroecological farm. She shared how initiation of a collaborative relationship with a Canadian researcher, Dr. Bezner Kerr in the late 1990s led her to start this farmer-led organization which has now grown to be a leading not-for-profit in Malawi. Through farmers-to-farmers training, they are building farmers’ capacity in agroecological practices toward addressing food insecurity, poverty and gender inequalities in the smallholder farmer communities.
David Banda, Data Officer, SFHC explained how agroecological practices such as intercropping and application of biofertilizer, mainly bokashi, allowed them to grow crops where they thought they could never grow anything.
Farmer Rodgers Msachi clarified how they practice intercropping by planting pigeon peas with millets and soyabeans and grow trees to allow harvesting diverse foods, including crops, fruits, and vegetables at the farm.
Ridge planting of cassava on the ridge with the furrow soil covered with Tephrosia Vogelii leaves, a pesticidal plant and a source of nutrients. Ridge planting help reducing soil erosion and crop failure in the face of climate change.
Rowland Watipaso Mhone at SFHC made clear how black soldire files lay eggs and their larvae are then grown into flies in the process of making bokashi biofertilizer – a key agroecological practice that is cruicial for healthy soil and crops.
Haswell Nelson described two types of bio-composting – plant based and bokashi that the use for agroecological farming that help avoiding the input based synthetic fertilizers.
Left: Esther Maona, one of the pioneer agroecological farmer researchers at SFHC, explained how she takes 15 black soldier larvae from the hub and multiply them to feed her chicken to keep them healthy and grow. Right: Anita Chitaya proudly showed the container in which she would collect the larvae to turn them into chicken feed. Thus, this SFHC farm serves as a hub for neighboring farmer researchers for getting resources, training and networking.
Laifolo Dakishoni, Deputy Director, SFHC detailed the manifold nutrition qualities of moringa trees that are grown alongside the crops at the farm.
A round gourd (left) and oranges (right) at SFHC’s agroecological farm that promotes planting fruit trees, plants and honeybee hives in addition to intercropping in Ekwendeni, Malawi.
A few of many lively exchanges among international farmer researchers and western scientists and community development experts while visiting the SFHC’s agroecological farm. Top left: Serge Shema from Wildlife Conservation Initiative (WCI), Rwanda with Dr. Isaac Luginaah from Western, Canada. Top right: Serge Shema (WCI) with David Banda from SFHC, Malawi. Bottom: Charity Kabongo from the ReSCOPE Programme, Zambia with Mwapi Mkandawire from SFHC, Malawi.
As the team ends its walk into the field, the sun sets behind the trees, promising a new beginning the next day.
