Farmer-led Research for Food Security and Nutrition in Malawi
Supporters
Biovision Foundation for Ecological Development
The Biovision Foundation was founded by the Swiss Entomologist Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren as a means to sustainably improve life for people in Africa while conserving the environment. Biovision is committed to promoting environmental conservation through agroecology as a means of combatting hunger and poverty. See https://www.biovision.ch/en/home/ for more information on the Biovision Foundation’s program.
The Government of Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), Canadian University Partnerships program
DFATD’s Partners for Development Program aims to leverage the development expertise and initiative of Canadians by funding the most meritorious proposals put forward by Canadian organizations to deliver development results on the ground. Following a 2011 call for proposals, the Government of Canada is partnering with Canadian universities to implement targeted development projects around the world for up to five years.
These selected Canadian universities will work with institutions and organizations in developing countries to ensure that the results will directly benefit people in need. Their projects will stimulate sustainable economic growth, secure the future of children and youth, increase food security, and improve the health of mothers, newborns and children.
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ecohealth program
IDRC’s Ecohealth program has been a key supporter of the SFHC project. IDRC’s Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program Initiative supports research on the relationship between all components of an ecosystem to define and assess priority problems that affect the health of people and the sustainability of their ecosystem. See http://www.idrc.ca/ecohealth/ for more information on IDRC’s program.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PWS&D)
Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D) is the development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. PWS&D was the original partner of SFHC, with an initial grant in 2000, and has provided financial and moral support to our work ever since. See http://www.presbyterian.ca/pwsd for more information on PWS&D.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB)
CFGB is a partnership of Canadian church-based agencies working to end hunger in developing countries by increasing and deepening the involvement of Canadians in efforts to end hunger. CFGB began supporting SFHC in 2005, through PWS&D, and has also played an invaluable role in linking Canadian farmers to Malawian farmers through visits. In 2007 SFHC began exploring policy implications of our work with CFGB, and have participated in public events raising awareness in Canada about climate change, the effects on African smallholder farmers, and sustainable agricultural methods that mitigate against climate change. See http://www.foodgrainsbank.ca/ for more information on CFGB.
Collaborative Crop Research Program, McKnight Foundation
The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) is a competitive grants program funded by the McKnight Foundationfor the purpose of increasing food security for resource-poor people in developing countries. See http://mcknight.ccrp.cornell.edu/index.html for more information. SFHC receives funding from the CCRP through the program entitled Enhancing the utilization of legumes in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. This Community of Practice (CoP) focuses on improving food security for people depending on leguminous crops in East Africa. Our funding is part of a larger research project entitled ‘Legume Best Bets’ which is managed by the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture.
The David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University
Founded in 2008, the Aktinson Center is “working toward a future where the world’s needs for reliable energy, a resilient environment, and robust economic development can grow, not as competing demands, but as complementary spokes on the wheel of prosperity.”
The Atkinson Center combines three ‘pillars of sustainability’ — energy, the environment, and economic development — in one center. Its grant programs and activities support new approaches, techniques, and technologies so that today’s seeds of knowledge can grow into tomorrow’s solutions. SFHC is funded through the ACSF Academic Venture Fund (2014).
See http://www.acsf.cornell.edu/index.php for more information.
Out of a desire to protect our region from this virus, all of SFHC’s field work activities have been closed as of April 7. Although the Malawi government has not yet confirmed any cases of COVID-19 in the… Read More
SFHC has been busy during May. In order to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission, SFHC has divided the staff into several teams who work on various SFHC projects independently at the SFHC office. Teams only come in once… Read More
For twenty years, we have been working here in Northern and Central Malawi. We are very proud of the work we’ve done: a participatory approach to agroecological farming to improve nutrition, livelihoods and equity. And since 2000, we… Read More
After a productive first year of data collection, FARMS4Biodiversity held its annual meeting in February. We are really proud of this year’s work: SFHC has taken the lead in a complex network of interdisciplinary collaboration between five universities,… Read More
Supporters
Biovision Foundation for Ecological Development
The Biovision Foundation was founded by the Swiss Entomologist Dr. Hans Rudolf Herren as a means to sustainably improve life for people in Africa while conserving the environment. Biovision is committed to promoting environmental conservation through agroecology as a means of combatting hunger and poverty. See https://www.biovision.ch/en/home/ for more information on the Biovision Foundation’s program.
The Government of Canada, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), Canadian University Partnerships program
DFATD’s Partners for Development Program aims to leverage the development expertise and initiative of Canadians by funding the most meritorious proposals put forward by Canadian organizations to deliver development results on the ground. Following a 2011 call for proposals, the Government of Canada is partnering with Canadian universities to implement targeted development projects around the world for up to five years.
These selected Canadian universities will work with institutions and organizations in developing countries to ensure that the results will directly benefit people in need. Their projects will stimulate sustainable economic growth, secure the future of children and youth, increase food security, and improve the health of mothers, newborns and children.
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ecohealth program
IDRC’s Ecohealth program has been a key supporter of the SFHC project. IDRC’s Ecosystem Approaches to Human Health Program Initiative supports research on the relationship between all components of an ecosystem to define and assess priority problems that affect the health of people and the sustainability of their ecosystem. See http://www.idrc.ca/ecohealth/ for more information on IDRC’s program.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PWS&D)
Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D) is the development and relief agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada. PWS&D was the original partner of SFHC, with an initial grant in 2000, and has provided financial and moral support to our work ever since. See http://www.presbyterian.ca/pwsd for more information on PWS&D.
The Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB)
CFGB is a partnership of Canadian church-based agencies working to end hunger in developing countries by increasing and deepening the involvement of Canadians in efforts to end hunger. CFGB began supporting SFHC in 2005, through PWS&D, and has also played an invaluable role in linking Canadian farmers to Malawian farmers through visits. In 2007 SFHC began exploring policy implications of our work with CFGB, and have participated in public events raising awareness in Canada about climate change, the effects on African smallholder farmers, and sustainable agricultural methods that mitigate against climate change. See http://www.foodgrainsbank.ca/ for more information on CFGB.
Collaborative Crop Research Program, McKnight Foundation
The Collaborative Crop Research Program (CCRP) is a competitive grants program funded by the McKnight Foundationfor the purpose of increasing food security for resource-poor people in developing countries. See http://mcknight.ccrp.cornell.edu/index.html for more information. SFHC receives funding from the CCRP through the program entitled Enhancing the utilization of legumes in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. This Community of Practice (CoP) focuses on improving food security for people depending on leguminous crops in East Africa. Our funding is part of a larger research project entitled ‘Legume Best Bets’ which is managed by the University of Malawi, Bunda College of Agriculture.
The David R. Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell University
Founded in 2008, the Aktinson Center is “working toward a future where the world’s needs for reliable energy, a resilient environment, and robust economic development can grow, not as competing demands, but as complementary spokes on the wheel of prosperity.”
The Atkinson Center combines three ‘pillars of sustainability’ — energy, the environment, and economic development — in one center. Its grant programs and activities support new approaches, techniques, and technologies so that today’s seeds of knowledge can grow into tomorrow’s solutions. SFHC is funded through the ACSF Academic Venture Fund (2014).
See http://www.acsf.cornell.edu/index.php for more information.
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Updates & News
COVID-19: Updates on SFHC activities
March 28, 2020
By Rachel Bezner-Kerr
Out of a desire to protect our region from this virus, all of SFHC’s field work activities have been closed as of April 7. Although the Malawi government has not yet confirmed any cases of COVID-19 in the… Read More
May Update
July 30, 2020
By Bunmi Osias
SFHC has been busy during May. In order to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission, SFHC has divided the staff into several teams who work on various SFHC projects independently at the SFHC office. Teams only come in once… Read More
Twenty Years of Agroecology: Mapping SFHC’s Impact
April 1, 2020
By Rachel Bezner-Kerr
For twenty years, we have been working here in Northern and Central Malawi. We are very proud of the work we’ve done: a participatory approach to agroecological farming to improve nutrition, livelihoods and equity. And since 2000, we… Read More
FARMS4Biodiversity’s second Annual Meeting yields exciting results!
March 28, 2020
By Rachel Bezner-Kerr
After a productive first year of data collection, FARMS4Biodiversity held its annual meeting in February. We are really proud of this year’s work: SFHC has taken the lead in a complex network of interdisciplinary collaboration between five universities,… Read More