IAAM Project launched

Together with its partners, WOLREC launched the Integrating Aquaculture Agriculture to Combat Food Insecurity in Malawi project, which strives to integrate fish farming with crops, livestock and agroforestry, to empower small-scale producers—especially women—to boost productivity, income, and market access.

The four-year Project, is implemented by the Co-Operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF Canada), with support from the Government of Norway, in cooperation with the Government of Malawi and implementing partners Malawi Federation of Cooperatives-MAFECO, Malawi Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives, Community Agribusiness Partners-CAP Malawi, Luanar, Women's Legal Resources Centre - WOLREC, and Awfishnet Malawi Chapter.

WOLREC is implementing a gender transformative intervention within the project in Zomba, Thyolo, Dowa and Mzimba Districts.

Among others, WOLREC intervention seeks to promote gender equality and transform power relations within the project communities by addressing harmful social norms and practices that perpetuate women’s vulnerability and limit their participation in decision-making.

WOLREC is using the SASA! Together approach, an evidence-based methodology designed to address power imbalances and harmful social norms that perpetuate women’s vulnerability.

In his address, CDF-Canada Executive Director Ben André, hailed the strong willingness of communities and institutions in Malawi to make the initiative a success.

Her Excellency, Anne Sofie Bjelland, Ambassador of Norway, reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to strengthening food security and resilience. She stressed that when communities work together - combining aquaculture and agriculture - farmers gain new opportunities to diversify, adapt to climate change, and secure their livelihoods.

In his keynote address, Director of Animal Health and Livestock Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Julius Chulu underscored the importance of Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture Systems (IAAS) to Malawi’s future.

“Aquaculture and agriculture are not competing sectors; they are complementary systems. When properly integrated, they recycle nutrients, optimize the use of water and land, and provide year-round food and income. This is the kind of innovation Malawi needs as we adapt to climate change and pursue sustainable rural development,” he said.

He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to supporting programs that strengthen diversification, commercialization, and value addition for small-scale producers.

A major highlight of the event was the launch of the IAAS Handbook—a newly developed training tool designed to help farmers understand and adopt IAAS. This handbook will support extension workers, co-operatives, and rural farmers—especially women—with practical knowledge to improve production, income, and resilience.