Malawi: Livestock breeding supported rural farmers in the Covid-19 period

While the world is still struggling with the economic effects of Covid 19, rural farmers are also hit by the pandemic. The situation has left smallholder farmers with no opportunity to meet in groups where they get extension services. In this situation, the Sustainable Agriculture Productivity Programme (SAPP) has introduced a fund that seeks to build on SAPP's ability to increase productivity and promote market participation. Both of these interventions are affected by Covid 19 Pandemic. The programme which is dubbed rural 'Poor Stimulus Facility' is a grant and loan from IFAD that the Malawi government secured in 2020 to cushion farmers economically. In Nkhotakota, among many other interventions, the programme is mainly focusing on ducks and rabbits (small livestock) which multiply fast for rapid results. Chrissie George of Mthyoka village Traditional Authority Mphonde in Nkhotakota received 5 rabbits as a startup in her stimulus facility. George says her rabbits are multiplying ...