Food Security

Coupled with HIV/AIDS, poverty is the most devastating crisis facing Malawi. Currently, 65% of the rural population lives on less than $1 per day. Gross National Product stands at USD160 per year, having dropped from USD400 in 1994. Half of Malawian children under the age of five are underdeveloped, and over 60% are malnourished.

85% of Malawians make a living as smallholder farmers, but the vast majority have less than a hectare of land. Lack of markets means that Industrial agricultural activities such as sugar, tobacco and coffee are sold for prices on the world market that do not cover the costs of production. Inputs such as subsidized fertilizer, hybrid seeds and guaranteed price bands are often provided by international institutions and provide a substantial percentage of Malawians national budget.

Malawi maintains a severe dependency on maize, which is unfortunate, both because maize lacks many necessary nutrients and is also vulnerable to weather conditions. Despite plentiful rainfall most years, a badly timed drought (or rain) can turn the country from a malnourished to a starving one.

Story Workshop's Food Security Initiatives:

Story Workshop has major initiatives that proactively address issues of food insecurity, helping to give farmers and other rural inhabitants the skills that they need to take action to improve their lives.

• Mwana Alirenji, complemented by hands-on Radio Research Gardens, is one of the most popular radio magazines in Malawi. This farmer-to farmer radio show gives voice to farmers, allowing them to “train” their colleagues – other farmers – in sustainable and profitable agricultural techniques.

• Zimachitika, the country’s most popular radio soap opera, is currently focused primarily on issues of food security, using its popular characters to share messages and lessons about agriculture, income generating activities, HIV/Aids, teenage pregnancies and gender

• Low-literacy prints are being distributed to farmers and rural communities to help them implement step-by-step techniques for fish farming, mushroom farming, pig farming, and tree grafting.