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POPULATION: 14,268,711
ACTIVE IN: Zomba River Basin
PROGRAMS: Economic Development, HIV/AIDS and Food & Nutrition Security
A CAUSE FOR CONCERN
A major contributor to Malawi’s economy and overall food security, fishing provides hundreds of thousands of jobs and serves as one of the main sources of animal protein consumed by Malawi’s citizens. However, massive overfishing in Lake Malawi in the mid-1990s dramatically reduced the harvests of wild-caught fish, leading to a serious shortage of fish, habitat destruction, and inadequate resources.
NEARLY 5,000 MALAWIANS ARE BENEFITING FROM PCI’S C-FISH PROGRAM, A PROGRAM SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THE PRODUCTION AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF POND-RAISED FISH. | OVERVIEW
Project Concern International (PCI) began operations in Malawi in 2007 to promote sustainable income opportunities among small-scale fish farmers in the southern Zomba River basin region. PCI is creating a sustainable foundation that helps people obtain the education, skills, and access to capital they need to decrease their vulnerability, strengthen their own livelihoods, and improve the health and well-being of their families and communities.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
PCI is implementing an innovative aquaculture program designed to significantly improve the production and commercialization of pond-raised fish by providing small scale, low-income producers with training, improved feeds, fish fingerlings, and access to credit, with the goal of increasing their production, income, and food security.
PCI’s is bridging the knowledge, technology, and resource gaps between small farmers and commercial fish enterprises by training local men and women from the communities in business development and scientific aspects of aquaculture. PCI is also collaborating with various commercial and non-governmental organizations to develop more affordable, plant-based fish feed that is produced using appropriate technology and manufactured locally, thereby supporting the local economy.
In addition to working with leading Malawian businesses and international aquaculture experts, PCI is also training local men and women from rural communities to work as for-profit aquaculture extensionists (or Fish Pros), who will assist area farmers in pond management, business development, and the scientific and technical aspects of aquaculture.
HIV/AIDS AND FOOD & NUTRITION SECURITY
PCI is leading a unique initiative designed to ultimately increase integrated HIV/AIDS and food/nutrition security (FNS) programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Called Links for Life Communities of Practice, the program focuses on emerging practices in integrated HIV/AIDS and FNS programming, with the ultimate goal of promoting ‘what works’.
Established in Ethiopia and Malawi, this unique initiative brings practitioners from NGOs, local community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, government representatives, United Nations partners, and other relevant institutions together to identify and bring successful programming to the forefront. The first ‘launching pad’ to share this model was at the Africa Forum 2009 (AF09): Sharing Integrated Solutions to HIV & Food/Nutrition Insecurity, which was held June 21-26, 2009 in Malawi.
Download PCI/Malawi Country Fact Sheet (PDF)
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