Improved Livelihoods for 3,000 Poor Farmers and their Families in Rural Malawi

General

This project aims to address the inter -related challenges of economic insecurity and access to energy, to reduce levels of poverty for a target group of 3,000 rural poor households (1,800 of which are headed by women). Based in the districts of Mchinji, Lilongwe and Rumphi, the project will also improve the lives of more than 13,800 people1 (8,280 will be women and girls). By installing solar units and establishing irrigation sites, 500 farmers (300 will be women) will be trained on sustainable management of resources and use irrigation to improve their crops and increase production. Start -up solar power units will enable an additional 1,000 farmers (600 will be women) to start adding value to their produce and become linked to commercial buyers and reliable markets. A further 1,500 farmers (900 will be women) will develop small scale business enterprises using solar power. We will work with the Government of Malawi to formulate a legal framework governing the use of renewable energy.