DeSIRA effort in Malawi - studying climate change adaptations for agriculture

 A multi-year effort is underway in Malawi by the International Potato Center, as they study new innovations for agriculture as climate change continues to force improvements. Part of this research effort includes how some policies may need to shift if one wants to optimize food production in this region. This is part of the DeSIRA agricultural initiative, where DeSIRA stands for Development of Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture. Efforts like this are vital as some of the countries so dependent on small farms and family farms adapt to climate change. This is an example of a research field. 

Drip Irrigation - making a difference for those farming families who have it

 This is an interesting article about some small farmers and families in Malawi who can use drip irrigation technology to go from one harvest a year to three. Too many families are able to produce enough food for 8-9 months of the year, and have nothing for income, and then struggle for the remaining months. This type of irrigation has helped those who have tried it to produce enough food for the family for an entire year, as well as additional yield to sell and use for income and savings.