Farmers attending the workshop

From April 3 to 4, 2025, the Centre for Resilience and Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS), in partnership with Tehirah Enterprise Ltd, held a transformative workshop at the Lunzu Rural Training Centre in Blantyre. Themed “Good Agricultural Practices and Post-Harvest Management,” the workshop brought together over 40 farmers from three sweet potato cooperatives: Mkanda Cooperative from Zomba, and Mulamu Ndiwe and Matindi Cooperatives from Blantyre.

Led by a team of agricultural experts from Tehirah Enterprise and staff from CRAFS at the University of Malawi, the two-day training aimed to enhance farmers’ ability to manage sweet potato production. The sessions covered various topics, including plantation management, improved planting techniques, pest and disease control, harvesting strategies, and post-harvest processing methods.

A significant highlight of the workshop was a practical session led by Jean Pankuku, Director of Tehirah Enterprise Ltd, who showcased how farmers can add value to sweet potatoes through food processing. She demonstrated how the crop can be transformed into various marketable products such as bread, biscuits, doughnuts, and other baked goods. Pankuku also provided participants with a behind-the-scenes look into her bakery, explaining the tools and processes used to convert sweet potatoes into finished products while sharing insights on business development and local value chains.

In addition to technical training, the workshop featured interactive group discussions and a field visit to potato farms, where participants applied their learning in real-time, practising harvesting techniques and exploring improved farming practices firsthand.

Farmers who attended the training praised the initiative, noting new skills in baking, flour production, and sustainable farming methods as key takeaways. Many expressed optimism that the knowledge gained would not only enhance their agricultural productivity but also open doors to small-scale agribusiness opportunities.

Overall, the workshop strengthened CRAFS’s commitment to promoting climate-smart agriculture, food security, and rural resilience through knowledge sharing and practical innovation. Through initiatives like this, CRAFS and its partners continue to empower farming communities to maximise their yields and adopt more sustainable practices.