The Role of Lead Farmers

Professor Banda, one of AWP's field coordinators, spends most his time out on the farms, teaching farmers how to grow more food more efficiently. But even if he could do this 365 days a year for 10 years, he alone could barely scratch the surface.

Professor meets with Lead Farmers in their tomato garden

Looks good! But there are some improvements that could be made.

Lead Farmers look for advice on how to use their available water supply to increase tomato acreage

The best way for Professor to motivate agricultural process changes on a large scale - on the order of 10,000 households per year - is to engage with lead farmers. Lead farmers possess skills that allow them to be successful early adopters of change. They teach in formal and informal interactions with other farmers in their communities, and their work is held up as an example for others to follow. 

Lead Farmer at Ngwangwa shares his ideas and techniques with farmers from nearby villages

Passing through the gardens, farmers meet, greet, and discuss the work.

During the first year or two, while AWP is setting foundations for lead farmers, field coordinators like Professor are busy training Lead Farmers. Later, those lead farmers grow the base of farmers who have adopted improved irrigation and agricultural methods.

Visiting farmers share and ask questions, taking lessons and inspiration back with them.

Lead Farmer Education

To ensure the sustainability and growth of food secure communities, AWP provides higher-level training to agriculture extension officers and lead farmers. The extension officers oversee the implementation of farmer education in the area. We keep them up to date on the tools and information we are providing farmers in the field, and we teach more background that will help them identify and solve challenges before they become major issues in the community.

We also work with lead farmers who are skilled farmers representing the various communities in which we work. The lead farmers role is to provide a connection between outside stakeholders and the communities, and to lead other farmers in the adoption of improved farming methods.

Food Security Self-Assessment

One of the most powerful tools that we introduce to farmers is the Food Security Self-Assessment. This is a one-page worksheet that will help a farmers determine if they are food secure, and how much deficit or surplus food they will encounter. We teach the concepts behind the worksheet, most of which are intuitively understood, like the more mouths to feed, the more food you need. We add to the intuitive understanding by introducing ways to estimate food needs and productions and how to balance land and capital allocation with their needs.

The results of using this tool are: 

1) Individuals and families know with high confidence whether they have a surplus or deficit

2) Families with deficit know the date when they will run out of food at normal consumption rates

3) Farmers know how to use this information to plan their farms to mitigate and prevent food deficits.

In 2017, more than 1,000 households learned to use this tool. 

Food Security Opens Door to Further Livelihood Development

 Our goal for the families we teach is for them to have enough food for today, tomorrow, and every day in the future. That's what we mean by "food security". But we know from the families in the program that their needs don't end with having enough food. Many of the families put almost all of their resources into producing food that there is nothing left for them to put into health, education, or improving other aspects of their lives.

When a family becomes food secure the opportunity arises for them to invest in their futures. Most of the farmers in our program put the immediate benefits of having extra food toward developing a long term, stable livelihood. We see four categories of investments: 1) reinvesting into irrigation; 2) purchasing livestock; 3) education for family members; 4) other small businesses.

Here are some photos of farmers that trained with AWP last year and how they put new resources toward their futures. Two purchased bicycles that they will use as taxis to earn a small daily income. One purchased a solar panel that powers a barbershop - complete with shaver and music.