By Vincent Gunde
The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada) is strengthening nutrition among smallholder farming households through its five-year Integrating Aquaculture-Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi (IAAM) Project, with a focus on helping communities translate increased food production into healthier and more diverse diets.
Running from 2024 to 2028, the project is being implemented in eight districts: Chitipa, Mzimba, Rumphi, Nkhotakota, Dowa, Ntchisi, Thyolo and Zomba. It promotes the active participation of women in integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems (IAAS).
In Dowa, the project is targeting 217 households across the Nachisaka, Mponela, Mndolera, Bowe, Kayembe and Dzoole Extension Planning Areas (EPAs).
Updating the District Nutrition Coordination Committee (DNCC) in Dowa, CDF Canada Value Chain Development Specialist John Magombo said increasing agricultural production does not automatically translate into improved nutrition.
“The project is seeking to strengthen the pathway from production to food availability, income, food access, dietary diversity, improved nutrition and food security,” Magombo said.
The IAAS approach combines fish, crops, livestock and agroforestry, enabling households to produce a wider range of foods while generating income.
Magombo said the project’s nutrition focus includes nutrition-sensitive IAAS production, strengthening household nutrition knowledge, food preparation and utilisation, dietary diversity, and gender-responsive nutrition practices.
The nutrition component recognises the important role women play in household food production, preparation and utilisation, making gender-responsive approaches critical to improving nutrition outcomes.
The nutrition interventions will include community nutrition activities, technical training and extension support, cooking and food preparation demonstrations, and the integration of nutrition-sensitive production into IAAS farmer training.
“These interventions are intended to help households not only produce food, but also understand how to prepare, combine and utilise the foods they produce to improve household diets,” Magombo said.
The project is being implemented alongside partners including Community Agribusiness Partners (CAP), the Malawi Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (MUSCCO), Malawi Federation of Co-operatives (MAFECO), LUANAR, Advocacy for Women Fish Network (AWFISHNET) and the Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC).
In his remarks, Dowa District Council Chief Agricultural Officer Japhet Zingani called for stronger coordination among DNCC members to ensure nutrition interventions are effectively implemented and reach communities.
Zingani called for regular DNCC meetings and greater support from development partners to strengthen nutrition coordination in the district.
He expressed confidence that partners would continue working together to improve the wellbeing of communities in the district.
