

SDG 4: Quality Education

GLC Members
Mireia Arguijo Badia; Sarah Msambi; Ruth Nanjala; Federica Ricciardello; Carolina Ruoff
The project "Seeds to Success: Agribusiness through Quality Education: Empowering Young Women in Malawi" aims to address key issues in Malawi's agricultural sector. It focuses on providing practical education and training to young women, enhancing smallholder farmer productivity, and increasing youth engagement in agriculture. The project establishes a live-in training center, a smallholder farmer empowerment program, and community outreach efforts.
SEEDS TO SUCCESS
The project "Seeds to Success: Agribusiness through Quality Education: Empowering Young Women in Malawi" seeks to address critical challenges within Malawi's agricultural sector, which contributes approximately 42% of the nation's GDP and 81% of its export earnings. Despite over 80% of the workforce being engaged in agriculture, productivity remains among the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa, with smallholder farms achieving less than 30% of their potential yield. The project identifies three primary issues: insufficient practical education, underproductive smallholder farmers, and a lack of interest in agriculture among young people, particularly young women.
Firsty a significant number of young women in Malawi lack practical training, thereby impeding their ability to contribute effectively to agricultural advancement. Secondly, four out of five Malawians are smallholder farmers who encounter challenges such as suboptimal agricultural practices and limited access to agri-financing services. Thirdly, the education system fails to connect agricultural training with profitable career opportunities, resulting in a disinterest in agriculture.
To address these challenges, the project proposes three key actions:
- Agricultural Education, Training, and Launchpad: The establishment of a live-in training center where young women can acquire skills in leadership development, technical agriculture, finance, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. This comprehensive training aims to increase the number of individuals with relevant skills for financial success, thereby fostering a new generation of successful agricultural leaders and entrepreneurs. This initiative aligns with SDG 4.4, ensuring equal access to affordable technical, vocational, and higher education.
- Smallholder Farmer Empowerment Program: Provision of training and resources to smallholder farmers through a "seed-to-sales" program, which includes agricultural extension services, financing, and market access. This program aims to create profitable farming businesses and eliminate educational discrimination, particularly in rural areas, aligning with SDG 4.5.
- Community Outreach Expansion: Enhancement of outreach efforts to engage with local farmers, assess their needs, and provide targeted support.
The impacts of the project include improved productivity and income for young women, increased engagement in agriculture, enhanced food security, and a reduced gender gap. By adopting a holistic approach that addresses multiple layers of the problem, the project aspires to cultivate a new generation of empowered, financially educated, and well-trained young women in agriculture.