The Scaling up Radio and ICTs for Enhanced Extension Delivery (SRIEED) II project, led by Farm Radio Trust - Malawi and the Department of Agricultural Extension Services, aims to promote and scale agricultural innovations through low-cost information and communication technologies (ICT), including radio programming and digital platforms, in order to improve incomes, food security, and resilience of 1 million farmers in five districts (Kasungu, Lilongwe (East and West), Mzimba (North and South), Nkhota-kota, and Mangochi) by 2025. These outcomes will be achieved through (1) increased awareness, knowledge, and skills among smallholder farmers; (2) increased application and adoption of agricultural innovations; (3) a conducive policy environment for digital extension; (4) improved application and use of digital tools; and (5) improved use of market linkage platforms. Working with existing rural producer groups (with 10–40 members) to strengthen them to become impact ICT hubs is central to the technology promotion approach. These hubs will be targeted as centers for providing demand-driven extension and models for early adopters of agricultural innovations.
This report summarizes the baseline data that describe the rural population of five districts in Malawi targeted in the SRIEED II project that started in 2020 and ends in 2024. It also provides the impact evaluation strategy for the overall project as well as a causal impact evaluation of a major component of the project (impact ICT hubs).
A total of 34% of sample households are female-headed households and 29% are youth-headed households. Beyond headship and looking at both spouses and other members who are decision-makers or farmers within the household, 74% of the sample are dual-adult households (both women and men within the household), 23% are households with women only, and 3% are households with men only. Most households have one female and one male decision-maker or farmer (husband and wife). A total of 43% of households have at least one youth decision-maker or farmer; and 57% of the households have no youth decision-maker or farmer. Roughly a fourth of the households have one youth, and another fourth have two youths. Most heads and other decision-makers or farmers in the household have no formal schooling or have some years in primary or elementary (77%). A total of 13% have no formal schooling. A total of 21% have some years in high school, and only 2% completed high school or went to college or university.
Read and download the full report here (PDF 2.6 MB)
Authors: Catherine Ragasa, Lucia Carrillo, and Kelvin Balakasi
Featured image: Bentry Neba is an agriculture extension worker training smallholder farmers from the surrounding community. Lisungwi Farm, Malawi. Photo Credit: M. Cooperman/IFPRI
