How foreign aid impacts farmers in Malawi

Transcript

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well, it's another episode of the Global Stewardship Podcast, and one of the struggles with this show and my mission to highlight farmers who are stewarding the land like God intended from all around the globe, is that sometimes the interview process fails. What I mean by that is either I have too much trouble finding a translator, or in today's case, the connection, the wifi connection was horrible. Our conversation was honestly incomprehensible, and it's not the first time this has happened time and time again when trying to connect with people from the opposite side of the globe, something's bound to happen. It is totally worth it though. Hearing perspectives from other people, different worldviews, cultural backgrounds, belief systems, it is so crucial in keeping our minds open is exactly what's going to make waves and make changes in our food systems. So today I'm recapping a conversation that I had with Sydney Josie from Malawi. He is a dedicated and ambitious individual whose professional journey led him to a degree in education. Long story short, he's a teacher. He has a love for the land and a love for lifting up the next generation and has a deep desire to make a meaningful impact in these areas. When I asked him what drew him to become an agriculture teacher in Malawi and how he sees his role in shaping the next generation of farmers, sidney said he grew up in a rural malawian village where farming was not a choice, but a way of life. His parents worked tirelessly in the fields, relying on rainfall for maze, ground nuts and beans. He saw many firsthand struggles, poor harvest, during drought, pests wiping out crops, and the frustration of having no modern tools. But he said he also saw the dignity in it, and the pride of feeding family from the land that inspired him to study agriculture so he could not only improve his own family's situation, but also share knowledge widely. When he became a teacher, he realized his role was more than explaining crop science or livestock care. He said, I am shaping attitudes. Quote, many young people today think farming is old fashioned or a symbol of poverty. I see myself as someone who must inspire pride showing that agriculture can be modern, profitable, and even entrepreneurial. For example, he tells students about successful farmers who started with just a small garden and now supply supermarkets with vegetables, he believes his role is to open their eyes to these possibilities while giving them the practical skills to maybe do so. Now one of the best things about having folks like Sidney, Josie on the podcast is because he gives us insight into places where so many Westerners, especially people in the food and farming world, have been told certain things about the situations there or their need for us and our food, our help. And so as I recap this amazing, interesting conversation today, that's something to keep in mind. These are valuable and interesting perspectives that are so crucial to take into consideration. Since he's a teacher, I of course had to ask him, how is agriculture education structured in Malawi? What's an example of things that students learn? He said Agriculture education is a blend of classroom theory and hands-on practice, he said, for example, when teaching about soil fertility, they discuss chemical fertilizers in theory, but also practice making compost heaps with maize stalks. Leaves and animal manure, this is something that they can replicate back at home. In some schools, students rear animals like rabbits, goats, or chickens, and it gives them direct experience in feeding, vaccinating marketing, whatever they need to for these livestock. At his school, they have a small demonstration plot where students plant maize in one row in legumes, like beans in the other. And over time they observe how legumes fix nitrogen and improve maize growth. So this way education becomes practical, not just theoretical. I asked him, do you find a gap between what's taught in classrooms and what's needed on the land? And he said, absolutely. The gap is significant. Their textbooks are often outdated, focusing on technologies that farmers can't even access, for instance. Lessons on irrigation, discuss drip systems, sprinklers, and mechanized pumps. But in rural communities, people depend entirely on rainfall. So if rains fail, their harvest fails to bridge that gap. Sydney adapts lessons to local reality and he teaches low cost innovations like mulching with crop residues, making natural pesticides from neem leaves and then things like pit planting, which is where they dig small holes to conserve moisture. I actually will never forget the first time I saw pit planting. I think I was in Greece at a refugee home that I was painting a mural of butterflies and flowers at, and they had pit planted their entire garden section, and I thought, oh my gosh, they have no idea what they're doing. What are they doing? Why are they digging holes? And leaving the holes empty to plant. And I had no idea that it was for irrigation purposes. It was a very humbling time. But this just goes to show that people around the world do things all different ways so differently, and there's so much to learn from everyone. Side note, anyways, these are just some practical, affordable, and, suitable ways for small holder farmers to actually make changes that work. He said that one of his students actually taught his parents how to make organic compost from kitchen waste and manure. And that season their maze yield doubled compared to neighbors who depended only on chemical fertilizer, which most people can't always even afford. So this proves that tailoring education to local context makes a real difference. Now Sydney had a lot of insight for us in just overarching food and farming things that I'll get to in a second. But I did want to ask him if there was ever a moment that truly affirmed his purpose as a teacher and farmer. And he said there was a time he was teaching a group of young leaders about sustainable farming methods, particularly how to manage soil fertility, one of his students who came from a very poor household in a village decided to apply what they discussed in the classroom to their family's small garden. Months later, they proudly brought a basket of vegetables to school and shared how their family no longer struggled to buy food and seeing their confidence and the joy it brought. Reminded Sidney that teaching is not just about lessons in a classroom, but about empowering others to change their circumstances. He said that that experience reaffirmed his belief that education, when linked to these practical skills, can transform lives and restored dignity. With all this talk about maize, I had to ask, what are the main staple crops for you guys and how are they tied to culture and identity? His answer was that Maize is central to Malawian life beyond being food. It's part of their identity. A thick porridge made from maize flour called Nima is eaten almost every day. And without it, a meal feels incomplete. So when people ask, have you eaten, they're really asking if they've eaten sema, it ties directly to their sense of wellbeing. Other important staples are casava sweet potatoes, beans, and ground nuts. Cassava often serves as a hunger crop, sustaining families during droughts, but ground nuts are more than food. They are a crop of pride and families use them to make relish or pay school fees. Sweet potatoes are loved by children and also form part of traditional breakfasts. So these crops are deeply cultural as they're eaten together in family gatherings, shared during funerals, ordered as gifts. Farming them is not just about survival, it's about preserving identity. I think this is something that many listeners probably cannot relate to on much of a level, when I say staple crops, I really mean this is what people eat regularly, every day, all the time. This is their diet. It's not like going into a grocery store with foods from every color of the rainbow from all over the world. Endless variety, endless choice, endless waste. Like, imagine how you have a deep connection to some of the foods that you select from time to time and Oh yeah, we do broccoli once a week or whatever it may be. Like these are foods that people eat every day. That's, there's a really deep connection when that's the case. About 80 to 85% of Malawian farmers are small holders practicing subsistence farming. So they grow maize, beans and vegetables mainly for their families. But if they get surplus, they do sell it at the local market. So commercial farming exists, especially in tobacco, tea and sugar cane estates, but those are controlled by larger companies or government, and oftentimes are not just like the everyday person. Sydney says The tension comes when small holders shift towards cash crops. For example, many farmers grow tobacco because it earns money, but then they still must buy maize for food. So if the maize prices rise, these families may still go hungry. On the other hand, commercial farming often brings jobs to the local communities, but then also pushes people off their land. So it's this constant balancing act between feeding families and earning money. There's so much nuance there. So I asked if he could share about some of the biggest misconceptions outsiders have about African farming. I knew this was the guy to talk to, to really get in deep with some of these conversations. Sydney shared that from his perspective, it seems like one of the biggest misconceptions is that African farmers are lazy or unproductive, and that the truth is the opposite. Farmers in Malawi work incredibly hard, often from dawn until dusk with very limited tools. A man may till an entire field by hand with a hoe. Something unimaginable in western countries with tractors. Another misconception he shared is that outsiders think African farming lacks knowledge. I loved his response here. In reality, he said local farmers have deep expertise, such as older farmers in his community can predict rains by the way, certain trees, flower, or by watching the movement of ants and birds. I'm just gonna say that again. He shared that older farmers in his community can predict rains, by the way, certain;trees, flower, or by watching the movement of ants and birds, this indigenous knowledge has been passed down for generations and outsiders often dismiss it, yet it's highly accurate and practical. I cannot tell you, I cannot count the amount of times I have heard from large scale industrial farmers in the United States, in western countries, that small scale farmers, particularly in countries like Malawi, lack knowledge, lack the expertise. It is. It is insulting and. I don't know how to say this other than it is insulting. It is heartbreaking. It is so far from the truth. These are some of the most in tune people on the entire planet and we're trying to impose our separated lack of knowledge, Western notions onto people who have a deep relationship to the land that goes back generations. And what's a shame is that the more we preach this, not just to people in Africa, but to people all around the world, young people are losing interest. Sydney said that the young people are divided in terms of their views about farming. Many associate farming with poverty and prefer to seek jobs in towns. They say, I don't wanna suffer in the fields like my parents. But that mindset is fueled by seeing how hard their parents work with. Very little to show, but then others are beginning to see opportunities with access to markets and new ideas. Farming can be profitable for them. For instance, Sidney boasted about a story of one of his students. This student started a small poultry business raising broilers for meat chickens, and he used the money that he earned to buy school supplies and helps his siblings. And then another group of students grew tomatoes together and sold them to local shops, these small successes give Sidney hope, and his job as a teacher, he believes, is to amplify such stories so that students do see farming as a future, not just a burden. Being a female farmer is something that I always find interesting and like to ask people who are totally on the other side of the planet What role does gender play in farming? Resilience there? Like do women face different challenges or hold unique knowledge roles? It's so fascinating to hear that in many places women have special and important jobs on the farm, and he did say that women play a critical role in Malawi and farming. They plant weed, harvest and cook, most land is controlled by men, which limits what women may be able to do. They also have less access to credit or agricultural training, it makes their work harder. Yet, women are gatekeepers of important knowledge. They're usually responsible for selecting and preserving the seeds for next season. For example, women know which maze cobs to save for seed and how to store them safely. They also play a big role in nutrition, ensuring families eat a balanced diet with beans, vegetables, and ground nuts. And he said, if women are empowered with equal access to land training and finance, entire communities become more resilient. So cool to hear about another area of the world where women are the seed savers. Of course they are, the fertility, we literally keep this world going. Malawi's often portrayed in western media as food insecure, and I wanted to know how Sydney felt about that narrative. The way Sydney sees it is that Malawi does struggle with hunger when droughts or floods hit, but the quote unquote food insecure label makes it sound like they're helpless. I am just gonna share exactly what he said. The truth is, communities here are highly resilient. After disasters, people rebuild quickly. For example, after floods in some districts, farmers came together to repair irrigation canals, share seeds, and replant. This spirit of solidarity never makes international headlines. The narrative of food insecurity erases our resilience and focuses only on our struggles, not on our innovations. I asked if he could share some more inspiring stories about community support during things like drought, and this story was cool. One of the most challenging experiences our farming community has ever faced was the prolonged drought that struck our area in 20 24, 20 25 farming season. The rains delayed for some months, and when they finally came, they were too little and too late to sustain most crops. Maize, which is our staple food, suffered the worst losses as entire fields dried up before reaching maturity. Other crops such as beans, ground nuts, and soybeans also withered under the scorching sun. The soil became extremely dry and cracked, making it difficult even to irrigate in areas without reliable water sources. This situation brought great hardship to many households. Families that depended solely on farming for their food and income were hit hardest as barns and granaries that were once full, stood empty. Despite these challenges, our community refused to give into despair. Instead, people came together with a spirit of unity, generosity, and compassion. Those who had access to borehole and deep wells shared water freely with others so they could save whatever little crops remained. Some farmers who managed to harvest small quantities of drought tolerant crops such as cassava and sweet potatoes donated part of their produce to families that had completely lost their harvests. Local leaders and faith-based organizations also played an important role in mobilizing relief efforts. Others offered technical advice on drought mitigation strategies through these collective efforts, our community demonstrated remarkable resilience and solidarity. He shared what began as a season of loss turned into a lesson in compassion and shared responsibility. The experience reminded us that no matter how harsh the environment becomes, the strength of unity can always sustain us. So then my question for him was, how do international aid programs affect farming there for better or worse? Sydney's response was spot on He shares some examples of aid that has been helpful. Different subsidy programs that have allowed small farmers access to inputs that have improved their yields, better seeds, that kind of thing. But he did share that aid that comes in the form of food handouts often undermines local farmers. I'm gonna say that again. Aid that comes in the form of food handouts often undermines local farmers. He shared that when free food arrives, local maize or cassava becomes harder to sell. This discourages farmers from growing more, and a better way would maybe be to support local research farmer cooperatives and rural infrastructure like storage facilities and irrigation. What farmers need is empowerment, not dependency. Oh my goodness, Sydney. Genius. What farmers need is empowerment, not dependency. I think this episode is for all of those folks out there who time and time again, have told me. Oh, when you're only talking about small scale regenerative agriculture, you're not feeding, you're not gonna feed a global population that way. We are not feeding the global population. It is a lie. This we're feeding the world high horse that we've been on for the past few decades. It's not true. We are in many ways harming local communities all around the world, not just all around the world. Right here, in South Carolina, we are taking away business from small farmers and the ability for them to be sustainable and thrive in their local economies. What farmers need is empowerment, not dependency. Wow. Fire. I asked if, if you could shift how the global food system interacts with African farmers, what would you change? And he'd push for fair trade. Right now, African farmers often sell their crops at very low prices while imported goods dominate their markets. For example, farmers sell ground nuts cheaply, yet peanut butter from South Africa or Europe sells for much higher prices in their shops. So if farmers simply had access to processing equipment and fair markets, they could earn a living wage. And he'd also advocate for investment in local agroprocessing industries so that things like ground nuts, raw products can be transformed into finished goods right there in Malawi, instead of being exported cheaply to be made into something somewhere else. That way the true value stays in Malawi. When asked what kind of global support actually feels respectful and helpful to farmers on the ground, Sydney expressed that the most meaningful global support Is support that listens to and empowers local voices. Too often external aid comes with predetermined solutions that overlook the realities on the ground. What farmers truly need are partnerships that build the capacity farmers are able to reach, providing training, affordable equipment and access to markets rather than handouts, for example, we were chatting about initiatives that will help farmers in Malawi process and preserve their own crops when communities can process maize into flour, dry vegetables for storage, or like he said, package ground nuts for sale. They earn more income and reduce waste. Practical support in such areas enables self-reliance and dignity. He said people who wish to help can do so by promoting fair trade, supporting local cooperatives, funding small scale processing equipment, or sharing technical expertise in ways that respect local traditions and knowledge. True assistance. He said uplifts rather than replaces the efforts of those on the ground. It's actually pretty appalling to me that a few people in an office for corporations, genetically modified seed companies, all the agrochemical giants that a limited few people around the world are sitting in offices making these decisions about basically how to make money in other countries under this mask of feeding the world. I asked if his students carry one lesson into their lives. What does he hope it is? The main lesson he wants them to take is that farming is dignity, not shame. It's the foundation of life, the source of food, and a pathway to independence. He wants them to respect the land, to combine indigenous wisdom with modern techniques, and to see agriculture as a profession that can lift families out of poverty if even one student leaves his class believing farming can be a career, a business, and a source of pride, he'll feel like he succeeded even across the pond. That is so relatable. How many Americans do you know who believe that farming is a poor man's job? When I first began farming my first season as a vendor at a farmer's market, selling the vegetables that I grew, I had multiple people say this to me, but I'll never forget. The one day I had a gentleman, older man come up to me and he blatantly told me that farming will never make any money. That I'll never make any money as a farmer. I'll live my life. Poor that I'm making a horrible decision for myself and my family. But he said to me, I really hope your husband has a real job. These are the belief systems that we're up against and are likely the same people who don't bat an eye when fewer and fewer people are farming farmland around the globe is being purchased and developed at alarming rates. And don't express any concern about the safety and resiliency of our food system. Although Sidney, Josie does serve as a teacher, his relationship with the land remained strong and deeply personal farming's part of his upbringing and identity, and he continues to participate in agricultural activities whenever possible. For most people in his community, farming's not merely an occupation. It is a way of life. So even those who like him. Are employed in other professions, they still maintain small gardens or fields, and this practice reflects their understanding that the land is more than just a source of food. It is a living resource that sustains their families and future generations. They view land stewardship as both a duty and a caring for the soil, conserving water, and protecting trees are seen as essential responsibilities. In essence, he shared that the bond between their people and the land remains unbroken. Sidney believes that in many ways the elders are quote unquote the custodians of our agricultural heritage, ensuring we do not lose sight of the values that sustained our ancestors. Being a person of faith myself and knowing that probably a lot of people there are as well. I had to ask about the role of faith in spiritual beliefs in caring for the land. This is called the Global Stewardship Podcast, after all named after our call to steward the land. The very first thing the creator of the universe called us to do at the beginning of time. He said that faith plays a central role in how people in their village relate to the land. They believe that the earth is a gift from God entrusted to us to care for not exploit. Many farmers begin the planting season with. Prayer, asking for rain and blessing upon their crops. Others give thanks after harvest. Recognizing that success doesn't come from human effort alone, but also from divine grace. The spiritual connection instills a deep sense of responsibility and humility. It teaches them that caring for the environment is a form of worship and that every tree planted, every seed nurtured and every drop of water Conserved is an act of gratitude. 1000000%. Absolutely. I, I resonate with that and wholeheartedly agree right there with y'all. I am excited to continue this conversation. I did not intend on chatting about global aid and relief in countries like Malawi as frequently as we're probably going to, but it's one of the biggest conversations in food and farming because so much of the advocacy for industrialized large scale agriculture is this lie. It's a lie that it is the only way to feed a growing population. It's the only way to feed hungry people. It's the only way to feed the world, and that is absolutely not true. There's not, there's not a whole lot of truth to that actually, and I think it's easy to sit here and say that as a more natural minded, regenerative farmer. Now, as y'all know, I did not necessarily start out that way. But I don't want you to take it from me. I'm nobody. I don't know anything, to be completely honest. That's why we're doing this. I don't know everything. I don't know very much at all. That's why every single week. I want to learn from somebody else on the other side of the world who has knowledge and expertise and lived experiences that are going to teach me, that are going to teach us, renew our minds, open up our perspectives to a whole different world of ideas that we could have never come up with or comprehended on our own. I'm excited to see where these conversations go because the more people recognize that local food is not elitist, that we can support small scale farmers, that we can empower growers around the world rather than rip away their opportunity at markets or sustainability, oh my goodness. I just can't imagine how drastically our world could change, how much we could actually impact. The issue of malnutrition or hunger or food instability around the globe. If we are truly empowering communities to feed themselves, it really shouldn't be that mind blowing or novel of an idea, like, shouldn't that be our very first go-to thought anyways? Let me know what you think. Thank you to Sydney Josie for being so brave and allowing me to recap and speak on his behalf. For the listener who's still here right now, let me know what you thought. Let me know if it was understandable. Because if so, it will open up many opportunities to interview people from truly all around the planet. There are some people who can only be reached by mail. Many people who a translator can't live translate with me because, translation services are extremely limited in languages that aren't spoken by very many people. And, But those are the stories I wanna share. Those are the stories that I think you wanna hear. And if they're not, you gotta let me know that as well. So in the podcast description, if you click for more information, there is a send us a text now link. Send me a text and let me know what you think. I've only gotten a few messages on there, and I appreciate every single one. I appreciate every single one of you who's messaged me on social media and let me know that you're listening. I like to know that somebody's actually listening to this every week. Thanks for sticking with me for the first few months of this show, and I'm really excited for the fall and winter and all the guests that are on the way. I will see you next week.