The Halcrow Foundation funds projects that are run by charities in Africa, Asia and the UK. As the Covid-19 outbreak reaches more countries around the world, our charity partners need to change the way they work to protect the communities they support.
Tiyeni runs sustainable farming projects in Malawi, working with rural communities to improve their crop production and food security. It also encourages farmers to work together, sharing knowledge, skills and labour to support each other and create working practices that strengthen communities in the long term.
Malawi joined other southern African nations in coronavirus lockdown from 18 April, and has declared a state of emergency. The country is among the world’s poorest and reportedly has fewer than 20 respiratory machines available in intensive care units.
How Tiyeni is supporting farming communities in Malawi through the outbreak
In the lead up to the lockdown, Tiyeni adapted its services to safeguard the health and safety of its staff and communities. This included sourcing and developing practical advice, and encouraging hand washing and social distancing. Tiyeni is committed to carrying out its critical work throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, and has made plans to advise farmers on crop management without meeting in person and with staff working from home.
Tiyeni projects help some of Africa’s poorest agrarian communities, so plenty of challenges lie ahead. While last year’s crops have been successfully harvested and can be safely prepared for storage by individual families, there will be no direct meeting with farmers, and activities such as farmer training and refresher courses have been cancelled.
There are also still many seasonal activities the farmers need to carry out to secure their future food supply, including composting, making decisions on preparing the land, and maintaining the fields.
Find out more about Tiyeni and how you can support its essential work here.
