UNITED NATIONS MALAWI

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION
Helping to build a world without hunger

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition to modernize and improve agriculture. Forestry and fishery practices and ensure good nutrition for all.

Since our founding in 1945, we have focused special attention on developing rural areas, home to 70 percent of world's poor and hungry people.

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts- to make sure people have regular access to enough food in order to live high quality lives.

FAO works on behalf of its members – more than 180 countries worldwide – while striving to defend the rights of the world’s citizens to free from hunger. We also cooperate with thousands of partners worldwide, from farmer group to traders, from noon-governmental organizations to other UN agencies, from development banks to agribusiness firms.

FAO provides the kind of behind the scenes assistance that helps people and nations help themselves. If a community wants to increase crop yields but lacks technical skills we introduce simple, sustainable tools and techniques. When drought pushes already vulnerable groups to the point of famine, we mobilize action. And in a complex world of competing needs, we provide a neutral meeting place and the background knowledge needed to reach consensus.

FAO’s mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agriculture productivity, better the lives of the worlds economy.

FAO in Malawi

FAO works with the Malawi government and non-governmental organizations to develop projects and policies targeting households who are most at risk, such as farmers with limited land, malnourished children and HIV and AIDS affected households.

FAO programmes focus on capacity building. Depending on the needs of particular area or population, activities could include healing the soil, maximising use of water, providing seed, crop and garden diversification, livestock production

Healing the soil - Soil fertility is ruined very quickly when growing one crop repeatedly in the same place or when burning the bush or any organic matter. Etc.

FAO uses various methods to reverse these practices and improve soil fertility. Some ways of improving soil fertility are through crop diversification and encouraging farmers to retain all organic waste in the soil through compositing manure.

Maximizing use of water

FAO is working with partners to increase technical knowledge on maximizing the use of all water sources. Partners improve their knowledge and skills for overall water management and are trying different settings.

One of FAO’s worldwide projects is ’The Special Programme for Food Security’ This includes strong focus on simple techniques for water harvesting and irrigation

One of the uniqueness about this programme is the use technical expertise from developing countries, referred as “South-South Cooperation” As part of building local skills in water management. FAO supported 18 Malawians to attend a 3 month irrigation technician training in Zimbabwe.

FAO has projects that support the integration of fishponds and irrigation. This assists farmers who live inland to maximize the use of available water to produce fish for food security and income.

Improving seed availability

Improving access to a wide variety of seeds assists households to diversify their crops. FAO supports projects on seed multiplication, creating household and community seed banks for future planting material and exchange seeds locally between households.
Roots and tuber crops are easy to grow. The roots are easy to grow. The leaves are a good source of vitamins, and they are easy to save for future use.

Crop diversification

Diversifying crop production assist in spreading the of crop failure and assist in ensuring household food security. A household with diversified crop production has surety of

Diet diversification

Economically crop diversification helps households to diversify in income sources, thereby improving house economy and productivity.

Livestock

Livestock is another way to diversify food supply, to improve the soil, and to improve the house economy. FAO purchases and distributes livestock, drugs for animals, and supports training for NGO’s staff and Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security technicians.

For more information visit www.fao.org or contact

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Evelyn Court, Area 13
P.O. Box 30750, Lilongwe 3
Tel: (265) 01 773 255
Fax: (265) 01 773 263

In the picture the two ladies are using a treadle pump for Irrigation in Malingunde in Lilongwe.

FAO is supporting Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development in designated areas (Karonga ADD and Shire Valley ADD) to control diseases through vaccination and using latest technology for disease surveillance (Digital Pen Technology)

A veterinary assistant at Ngabu in Shire Valley ADD interviewing a farmer on his herd of cattle. He is using a digital pen to record animal surveillance data which is later downloaded into a computer which sends the data to the web server through the internet.

FAO Malawi is supporting Avian Influenza Rapid Response Team in the Department of Animal Health and Livestock Development in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

FAO Representative in Malawi Mr. Mazlan Jusoh explains to Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Hon Uladi Mussa, M.P., how the protective clothing are used by the Rapid Response Team during an event to hand over the equipment to the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Hon Uladi Mussa MP