• Sun. Nov 3rd, 2024

Empowering Communities through Domestic Bird Farming in Dowa district of Malawi

Titukulane Club from Madude village in Dowa district in Malawi has emphasized the need for increased attention to rearing domesticated birds to boost economic progress in the country. 

The club, which specializes in chicken farming, has seen significant potential in this type of farming, improving the livelihoods of its members and enhancing their access to basic needs.

Shema showing off some of her chickens–Photo by Steria Manda

Gezzina Shema, the club’s chairperson, told NyasaTimes that the farming has empowered women to live independently, enabled men to support their families economically and socially, and generated numerous benefits.

“Despite facing numerous challenges, we are making progress in our endeavors,” Shema recounted. 

“I recall our chicks would die, but we persisted in replacing them until they grew, and now we are selling them.”

The club is one of the beneficiaries of the Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)/DanChurch Aid (DCA)’s Faith in Farmers: Boosting Local Production for Food Security in Malawi Project, which is expanding its operations to irrigation farming and combating malnutrition, among other initiatives. 

Jansen: The outcomes we are seeing align with our expectations–Photo by Steria Manda

Stephen Jansen, NCA/DCA Country Director responsible, expressed his delight with the project’s achievements among locals. 

“The outcomes we are seeing now align with our expectations when we launched the project,” he stated.

Jansen explained that the Norwegian government introduced the project in response to the high inflation rate caused by the Ukraine-Russia war, leading to commodity scarcity. 

The project aims to mitigate the impacts of inflation by ensuring smallholder farmers have a steady income for their daily needs. 

The project is implemented through various NCA/DCA partners, who Jansen credits as catalysts for the positive outcomes.

Author

By Watipaso Mzungu

Watipaso Mzungu is an award winning African news journalist with over 20 years experience covering stories around the world

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