SCOPE Malawi-Schools Permaculture

04/09/2026

LWATIZI PRIMARY SCHOOL TO THE WORLD: WE ARE NOT TOO YOUNG TO BE INVOLVED! 🌍

At the National Agroecology Conference, two young voices from Lwatizi Primary School reminded us that children and young people are not just the future of agroecology — they are already part of the movement.

Zoya Nyirenda, a former Lwatizi student who is now in Form 2, shared his journey with permaculture, which began when he was in Standard 4 through his involvement with SCOPE Malawi.

What started as something he learned at school became much more.

Through permaculture, Zoya spoke about how he has improved in his academics, created opportunities to earn money, and contributed to restoring the environment around him. His story is a powerful reminder that when we give children practical knowledge, they can carry it far beyond the classroom.

Davina Kaonga, another young voice from Lwatizi, spoke about her concerns around the impending El Niño and what climate shocks could mean for her as a student and for her community.

But she did not stop at the problem.

Because she has learned permaculture, Davina believes Malawi can strengthen its resilience by embracing practical solutions such as water harvesting and better management of our natural resources.

Two students. Two perspectives. One powerful message:

We are not too young to be involved.

From a primary school in Malawi to a national platform, Zoya and Davina showed us what is possible when young people are given the knowledge, space and confidence to participate in shaping the future of their communities.

🌱 **Lwatizi Primary School to the world.**
🌍 **Our young people have ideas.**
💚 **They have solutions.**
🌿 **And they are already taking action.**

**We are not too young to be involved!**

01/09/2026

01/09/2026

IT'S HERE! Day 1 of National Agroecology Week 2026!

Today marks the official start of National Agroecology Week – and we are LIVE at the 2026 Agroecology Conference at Crossroads Hotel! The conversations have begun, and we're already diving deep into this year's theme:

"Agroecology in Action—Building Resilient Food Systems for Malawi"

It's going to be a full, busy, and inspiring week ahead as we engage in policy dialogues, share field experiences, and celebrate Malawi's rich food heritage. And we're just getting started!

Here's what's coming up:
Agroecology Conference: 1st–3rd September | Crossroads Hotel

5th SustainFest: 4th September | Gateway Mall (FREE ENTRY!)
Theme: "From seed to meal: Honouring our food heritage"

Can't make it in person? Follow us LIVE right here on PELUM Malawi page for updates, highlights, and behind-the-scenes moments throughout the week!

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28/08/2026

The Countdown is ON! ⏳ 3 Days to the Agroecology Conference & 7 Days to SustainFest!

We are just 3 days away from the 2026 Agroecology Conference and 7 days away from the 2026 SustainFest and the excitement is building!

This year's National Agroecology Week kicks off with powerful policy dialogues and field experiences at the conference, and winds up with a vibrant celebration of Malawi's local foods at SustainFest.

Here's what's in store:
🎤 Policy dialogues shaping the future of food security
🤝 Networking with farmers, students, chefs, and sustainability champions
🌱 Live demonstrations on Biochar Production and Compost Tea Preparation
🍲 Celebration of Malawi's diverse local foods and indigenous knowledge

Event Details:
📌 2026 Agroecology Conference: 1st–3rd September | Crossroads Hotel (Registration is now closed)
📌 2026 SustainFest (5th Edition): 4th September | Gateway Mall (FREE ENTRY – everyone is welcome!)

Come through, learn, celebrate, and be part of the movement for a food-secure and healthy Malawi. Bring your family and friends at the sustainfest– let's make this unforgettable!

See you there! 👋

PELUM Malawi Permaculture Network Malawi Stacia Nordin

17/08/2026

What if the next big Malawian brand is sitting in your kitchen, your garden, your workshop… and nobody has discovered it yet? 👀🇲🇼

Think about it.

A seed you’ve been preserving. 🌱
A food you’ve been making. 🌽
A product you’ve been perfecting.
A craft your hands know by heart.
An idea you keep telling yourself, “One day, people will know about this.”

That day could be 4 September.

The 5th SustaiFest is bringing together the people growing, making and building a greener Malawi, and we’re looking for exhibitors ready to put their work in front of a real audience.

If you’re a farmer, food producer, seed keeper, processor, artisan, agroecology practitioner, green business, youth innovator, cooperative or environmental organisation, there’s a place for you.

🎪 STALL: MK25,000
📍 Gateway Mall, Lilongwe
📅 Friday, 4 September 2026
⏰ From 9:00 AM

Don’t just tell people what you do.

Let them taste it. Touch it. See it. Ask about it. Remember it.

Because sometimes, all a good idea needs is the right room and the right people.

📞 Book your stall: MacDonald Matalala 088 157 5152

From seed to meal. From small idea to big opportunity.
Bring what Malawi needs to see. 🌱🔥🇲🇼

03/08/2026

PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE (PDC) – NEW DATES & YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Following feedback from prospective participants, particularly young people who wanted to attend but were unable to register because of financial constraints, we have rescheduled the Permaculture Design Course (PDC) to 5–17 October 2026 at Tiphunzire Eco Centre, Mpingu, Lilongwe.

To make the course more accessible, we have also secured five partial scholarships for young people aged 35 years and below.
Scholarship Opportunity

Youth (35 years and below): MK150,000 (subsidised from MK350,000 – a saving of MK200,000)
General participants: MK350,000

Over 72 immersive hours, participants will gain practical, hands-on skills in:

Permaculture design principles
Building healthy and productive soils
Water harvesting and management
Sustainable food production
Designing resilient farms and landscapes

The course fee includes:

An internationally recognised Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC)
Training materials
Agroecological meals during the training

Youth Scholarship Eligibility

Applicants must:

Be 35 years of age or younger.
Demonstrate a genuine interest in permaculture, agroecology or sustainable agriculture.
Be available to attend the full course (5–17 October 2026).
Be able to pay the subsidised fee of MK150,000.

If more than five eligible applications are received, recipients will be selected based on financial need, commitment to applying the knowledge, and potential for community impact.

Whether you are a farmer, student, educator, development practitioner, entrepreneur or simply passionate about sustainable living, this course will equip you with practical tools to design productive, regenerative and resilient systems.

For enquiries and registration:

📞 Call/WhatsApp: +265 881 028 082

📧 Email: [email protected]

Take advantage of this opportunity to gain internationally recognised permaculture design skills and join a growing community of practitioners creating sustainable solutions for Malawi. Register today!

23/07/2026

🌱 WE'RE HIRING! 🌱

SCOPE Malawi is looking for a highly motivated Project Officer to join the SABESA Project – an exciting initiative strengthening agroecology-based school meal systems in Malawi, Kenya, and Uganda! 🇲🇼🇰🇪🇺🇬

Position: Project Officer
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Application Deadline: 31st July 2026

What You'll Do:
✅ Coordinate project activities and stakeholder engagement
✅ Liaise with schools, farmer groups, and government authorities
✅ Support financial and administrative processes
✅ Mainstream Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)
✅ Document success stories, lessons learned, and best practices

What We're Looking For:
🎓 Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Agroecology, Food Science, Environmental Science, or related field
💼 3-5 years of experience in project management or community development
🤝 Proven stakeholder engagement and coordination skills
📊 Strong understanding of GESI principles
✍️ Excellent communication and report-writing skills
💻 Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

Added Advantage:
🌿 Experience in permaculture, agroecology, or school feeding programs
📋 Familiarity with donor-funded projects and reporting requirements

How to Apply:
Send your CV, cover letter, and contact details for 3 professional referees to:
📧 [email protected]
📌 Subject line: Application: Project Officer - SABESA Malawi

📄 For more details, download the full job advert here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/136VJV7KNcF3IAzBVoGz4-zG02FnCcR3E/view?usp=drive_link

Deadline: 31st July 2026

Join us in transforming school meal systems and promoting sustainable food sovereignty in Malawi! 🌍🍽️

30/06/2026

For the past few months, we've been receiving more and more requests to provide agroecological traditional meals for conferences, workshops and special events. To be honest, this wasn't something we ever planned.

It all began with the children we work with.

When we started SCOPE Malawi, one thing we heard repeatedly was that "children don't like traditional food anymore." We were told they only wanted ultra processed snacks and fast food. We weren't convinced.

So we decided to get creative.

We began serving delicious traditional meals at our events, experimenting with indigenous ingredients, local recipes and new ways of presenting familiar foods. Before long, children were asking for more. Adults were too. What many people thought had been forgotten simply needed to be reimagined and celebrated.

Word slowly spread.

Since then, we've had the privilege of catering for wonderful partners, including the Seed and Knowledge Initiative - SKI family, and more recently, hosting World Food Forum Malawi Chapter Sustainable Gastronomy Week, where we celebrated Malawi's rich food heritage through an agroecological lens.

Today, we believe that every meal can tell a story. A story of our farmers. Our biodiversity. Our culture. Our health. Our future.

If you're looking for something different for your next event, we'd love to work with you.

Whether you're interested in:
🌿 Indigenous and traditional menus
🌿 Sustainable, agroecological catering
🌿 Training your chefs to incorporate local foods into their menus
🌿 Or hosting your meeting, retreat or conference at our rustic Tiphunzire Eco Centre
..let's create something memorable together.

Together, we can celebrate food that nourishes people, protects nature and keeps our culinary heritage alive.

03/06/2026

Over the past two weeks, we conducted Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions with Assistant Agriculture Extension Development Officers (AAEDOs) in Lilongwe and Dedza districts.

These trainings built directly on the Integrated Land Use Design (ILUD) training conducted from October to December 2025. Together, we focused on designing school food forests, establishing nurseries, integrating livestock, and managing school landscapes sustainably.

We are now looking forward to the rollout – reaching 21 school communities across both districts in the next months. Learners, teachers, and communities will work together to transform school grounds into productive, resilient, and beautiful food forests.

Thank you to the Ministry of Agriculture, our dedicated facilitators, and the AAEDOs for making this a rich learning space for everyone.

Together, we grow.

Permaculture Network Malawi

20/05/2026

🌍🐝 Happy from SCOPE Malawi!

Today we partnered with at Tsokamkanasi School to level up our learners’ bee skills. Our young beekeepers — already running their own hives — got brand new hives and deeper training in bee literacy.

Protecting pollinators = protecting food systems. Proud of these future eco-leaders.