Malawi - Smallholder Irrigation Project

The Smallholder Irrigation project is in line with the ADF VII Policy and strategy of poverty alleviation. The project conforms to the Government’s objectives of improving smallholder crop production by promoting the adoption of improved irrigation technology to farmers and by providing the necessary capacity building for irrigation, credit and institutional support to simulate sustainable agricultural development. Although, irrigation development will be new to the majority of the communities, the technology being advocated is simple and it will be backed by intensive farmer and staff training. Through increased production of food crops and higher income accrual at household levels, the project will directly improve food security of the beneficiaries; specifically for rural women farmers, the youth and children, this will result in better nutrition and health. The development of rural infrastructure will further help the rural women to have better access to markets for small scale trading activities usually carried out by woment. Communities outside the target groups will also benefit from improved access to markets and higher levels of employment generation in project related activities. Participation of rural women smallholder farmers and the youth in training, farmer clubs and credit unions will empower them to assimilate higher levels of farming technology, and also create a sense of involvement, confidence and self respect. This will assist rural women to achieve higher social status which is vital for the success of any development effort. The project will be implemented over a five-year period with 1999 being PY1.