In Champhira, Mzimba, young farmers like Levi Kaunda are learning life lessons from bees while building livelihoods. As a member of the Zandonda and Tupwenge cooperatives, Levi carefully tends to honeycombs, seeing bees as models of hard work, calm, and collaboration. His perspective reflects a broader transformation enabled by the Empowering Women and Youth in Agriculture (EWAYA) project, implemented by Malawi’s Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with UNDP and FAO, and funded by the Government of Flanders. The initiative aims to empower women and youth to treat agriculture as a business while building sustainable livelihoods across Mzimba and Kasungu districts.
Before EWAYA, youth and women were largely excluded from leadership and decision-making in farming. Through the project, Levi and other young farmers have taken active roles in managing cooperatives, maintaining production records, and leading honey production, while also learning to conserve the environment. Women, previously sidelined, now participate in decision-making and leadership roles, helping to shift traditional mindsets and foster community collaboration.
EWAYA emphasizes farming as a business by teaching practical entrepreneurship, including marketing, bookkeeping, and value addition. Farmers have improved honey production through better hygiene, packaging, and branding, enabling them to sell higher-quality products and expand market access. Levi notes that these skills and tools ensure sustainability beyond the project, positioning youth and women to generate income and contribute to Malawi’s Vision 2063 of inclusive wealth creation.
Veronica Nyirongo, another beneficiary, illustrates the impact on women’s livelihoods. Using seeds, fertilizer, and training provided by EWAYA, she successfully harvested beans, sold part of her crop, and purchased goats, which she tends alongside chickens. The project’s guidance on modern farming techniques, crop rotation, and cooperative collaboration has increased her confidence, productivity, and participation in decision-making.
Across Mzimba and Kasungu, EWAYA now supports over 1,400 farmers, with 73 percent women and youth, strengthening value chains in honey, beans, tomatoes, and poultry. Farmers are adopting climate-smart practices, such as organic manure, improved seeds, and sustainable irrigation. Trained extension officers are linking smallholders to markets and promoting enterprise-oriented approaches that identify demand before production.
The Champhira experience demonstrates the power of partnerships. The Ministry of Agriculture, UNDP, FAO, and the Government of Flanders have equipped women and youth with the skills, tools, and opportunities to thrive. As Levi seals another jar of honey, he reflects the project’s ethos: farming is now a business, the bees are teachers, and the land is a classroom, shaping stronger farmers and more resilient communities.
