In many parts of Malawi, small-scale farmers face a major challenge unreliable access to water. Malawi experiences only one rainy season, which runs from December to April. Access to water outside the rainy season remains a significant challenge for many farmers in the region. By extending the growing season and implementing irrigation techniques, agricultural productivity can be increased, leading to higher incomes for farmers. Over the past two years Youthure in partnership with local organisations have tried to improve access to water for small-scale farmers in Malawi.
Our initiative has supported farmers with solar-powered irrigation pumps, training, and technical advice to help them farm more efficiently and sustainably and utilize water sources during dry periods.
The solar pumps that were introduced are specifically designed for shallow wells, making them affordable and practical for rural farmers in Malawi. By replacing manual methods such as carrying water in buckets or using watering cans, these pumps allow farmers to irrigate more land in less time — and focus their energy on improving yields, growing diverse crops, and exploring new market opportunities.
Through hands-on training, farmers learned how to the solar pump sustainably, maintain the pumps, and conserve their water resources in order to improve their productivity.
For Gladys Banda, a young female farmer who got pregnant at 17 years, the pump has helped improve her life. Both her husband and her parents denied her pregnancy and she was left to survive on her own. To earn a living she grows and sells vegetables at Mkwinda market. The vegetables she sells are both grown by herself and sometimes from her fellow farmers. Before she was given a solar pump set, she used to water her field using watering canes and she had less time to go and sell the vegetables. The pump has made her have more time to attend sell vegetables at the market. She has plans to grow tomatoes next year so she can buy her own land and be an independent woman.
See more about the solar pump sets in this video.
The project also thought farmers how to improve their water sources and create small dams or pits. Several pit shapes were demonstrated to farmers and water conservation techniques were also introduced.
In cooperation with a farmers cooperative a small dam was dug to collect and store water. In addition to water storage, the dam also functions as a fish pond, enhancing the cooperative’s income through aquaculture. The dam will collect water during periods of abundance and use as a water source during drier months.
