By: Angellah Chitanje
I am an Agriculture and Natural Resources Manager from Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources - LUANAR—NRC Campus, and currently I am pursuing a bachelor in Agricultural Extension at LUANAR-BUNDA Campus.
I started my career as a farmer business school trainer with GIZ-Malawi as a freelance consultant to strengthen farmers overall business operational and managerial skills, improve service provision in farmer organizations such as bulk buying, and selling of inputs and improve sustainable livelihoods of rural people in Malawi. I have trained more than a thousand farmers in different farmer organizations across the country on farmer business school, and I have also trained tea workers and growers on business idea generation and management trainings as a freelancer under Ethical Tea Partnership (E.T.P).
Earlier this year, I represented Malawi on the second Pan African Master Training Program by the Agri Business Facility For Africa, where I am being trained to become Malawi's master trainer for the farmer business school methodology. Currently, I train trainers from the government sector, stakeholders and GIZ partners. I was involved on the "Training of Trainer (TOT)" for the newly introduced aquaculture business school, for the Aquaculture Value Chain Project for High Income and Food security in Malawi (AVCP)-GIZ where I trained 15 trainers from Innovative Fish Farmers Network Trust (IFFNT), and government extension workers, to make sure that the vulnerable population of Malawi has access to more fish products, and a high income from sustainable and resource conserving aquaculture in pond farming.
I am very passionate about youth involvement in promoting food security and sustainable agriculture. I consider my role as Malawi's co-country representative for YPARD a great opportunity for me to engage young people passionate about agriculture, to actively contribute to the development of sustainable agricultural systems through collaboration, value addition, policy and advocacy
Being Malawi's YPARD co-country representative is a very unique and great opportunity for me as I have always dreamed of becoming one of the few female change makers in the agricultural sector, in order to better help bringing young professionals in agriculture and food systems in Malawi (or even beyond). Becoming a representative for Malawi is therefore an opportunity to increase my knowledge and networking with fellow youths, and thereby fostering my career development. Besides, this position will give me the opportunity to interact with agriculture professionals worldwide, and I am positive that the exchange of knowledge and experiences will help me to better understand and handle the challenges and opportunities in Malawi.
Welcome to YPARD Angellah!