The Orant Agroecological Demonstration Farm produces strong, nutritious crops using natural farming techniques. See some photos from the farm here!
BOMFA
(Bowe Mission Farmer’s Association)
Bowe Mission Farmer’s Association is a farmers’ cooperative based in Kasungu District, Malawi. BOMFA is dedicated to empowering farmers in the local area by offering farming advice and instructions on what to plant. BOMFA also supplies many of their farmers with loans and aggregates the crop of all the farmers for marketing. The majority of BOMFA’s farmers are women and youth who are in need of an income and are dedicated to maximizing their efficiency.
Since 2015 Orant Charities Africa has been supplying BOMFA with loans for its farmers and advising in expanding their operations. Orant supplies loans each farming season to BOMFA so that they can loan seeds and fertilizer to over 900 farmers in the cooperative. BOMFA ensures that the entire crop is sold in a timely and efficient manner, meaning a more stable income and life for the farmers.
Orant Demonstration Farm Plot
Orant Charities Africa’s campus has a 33-acre farm plot which is used to demonstrate proper farming techniques and correct use of fertilizer and seeds to local farmers. This ensures that farmers have access to the latest information and farming techniques in Malawi so their yields can be as high as possible.
FEM for Women
Our FEM for Women Program supports local women entrepreneurs with microloans. These loans financially empower women in the community and at home. Many of our members improve their family’s living situation and pay for their childrens’ schooling with their profits.
Irrigation Clubs
Orant sponsors and manages 14 irrigation clubs in our Kasese operations area. These clubs are supplied with the skills and supplies necessary to plant and harvest multiple crops per year, helping them develop prosperity and wealth.
Stories From The Field
Do you remember Cellina’s experience with drought and her story of perseverance? This week we visited Cellina to learn more and catch up on how she and her family have been surviving on the 15 bags of maize she realized from her 2 acre field. Read today’s blog article to catch up on Cellina’s journey.
In this week’s blog article, we talk to Cellina Samson, a lead farmer from Mantchondo village in Dowa District. Cellina shares her farming journey and experience for the 2023/24 farming season. Visit today’s blog article and read Cellina’s story and how she is crossing the bridge of uncertainty, one step at a time.
In Malawi, there is a famous saying that goes “Chuma chili mu nthaka” meaning “there is money in farming,” or in other words, “wealth lies in farming.” This saying is true for Malawi as farming is the backbone of the economy, with 85% of the population highly dependent on it. However, as much as most Malawians are involved in agriculture, they suffer persistent food shortages. This is because many smallholder farmers depend on rainfed and low-cost subsistence farming to meet their food needs. In this week’s article, we will explore what the life of a subsistence farmer looks like in the rural part of Malawi, in Dowa district near Orant’s headquarters.
As Orant renovates our campus in Kasese, we find a need for more consistent power supply. Working with Green Impact Technologies, we will be installing solar power onto our campus. Read more about the project here!
Orant is always excited about the progress and the fruits our Irrigation clubs bear. We are happy seeing people's lives transformed through different initiatives from our Irrigation clubs. However, we understand that all this would not be possible without the commitment of individuals from the communities who work tirelessly to make sure that their communities are transformed. In this blog, we meet Christina Lemani, the chairperson for Madzimayera Irrigation Club.
Orant is always excited about the progress and the fruits our Irrigation clubs bear. We are happy seeing people's lives transformed through different initiatives from our Irrigation clubs. However, we understand that all this would not be possible without the commitment of individuals from the communities who work tirelessly to make sure that their communities are transformed. In this blog, we meet Christina Lemani, the chairperson for Madzimayera Irrigation Club.
At the end of 2022 we introduced our third group of our Financial Empowering Microloan (FEM) for Women group called Takondwa. Read our latest blog, as Magret Moffat, one of the group's beneficiaries, tells a story of how the program has already transformed her life through loans and business skills training.
As a way of cultivating a saving culture in the FEM Program, Orant requires each cohort to establish a savings group. Why is this important? Find out here.
Who grows cash crops in Malawi? What are the best cash crops for the climate and soil? Which are most profitable? We interviewed Orant’s Agriculture Extension Officer Gracious Msimuko for expert insight.