Build the 1st self-sustaining Farmer Field School!

Summary

The Rural Poultry Centre has broken new ground at the Chadza Farmer Field School with the construction of a dedicated poultry learning block. This milestone has been made possible through the support of the Australian Government via its Embassy, which recognised the value of our work and provided the majority of the capital. Their contribution has been invaluable, but your support will play a critical role in filling the gaps, more on that below.

This new facility will expand our capacity to support local poultry farmers through full-day training sessions. It marks a significant step forward in our mission to create a self-sustaining hub for rural poultry education in Malawi.

The Need for a Dedicated Training Space

Until now, our training and discussion sessions at the school have been constrained by a lack of dedicated space. The new learning block addresses this by providing a purpose-built meeting and training room. An attached kitchen is a vital addition, enabling us to provide meals for learners, particularly women, who traditionally manage village poultry, so they can attend full-day trainings without the burden of travel or missed meals. This investment directly addresses food security and empowers local farmers to build resilient livelihoods.

Construction Progress and Community Impact

We are using local labour to foster a sense of community ownership and to create income opportunities for the surrounding community. The new learning block will allow us to scale up our operations significantly, moving from small pilot groups to larger, more impactful training cohorts.

Looking Ahead

As soon as the learning block and kitchen are complete, we will launch a new round of training programmes focused on poultry management, incubation, and business skills. These will help families across the region protect their flocks from diseases such as Newcastle disease and unlock the economic potential of their poultry.

How You Can Help

A top-up to the capital already provided would significantly boost our ability to continue. We still need to furnish the training room, equip the kitchen, and build demonstration chick-care coops, among other items. Specifically, we are seeking cooking equipment, tables, chairs, and various implements and materials for poultry raising.

We make this appeal with some hesitation about asking for more. But we thank you for investing in grass-roots expertise and sustainable farming in this part of the world. We could not harness that potential without your support.

Links:

• See what a typical training session looks like.