As the farming season approaches, most small holder farmers spend sleepless nights, filled with questions and plans on how they are going to acquire farm inputs which mostly include fertilizer and seeds.  In Malawi, farmers, especially small holder farmers opt for the most cultivated crop in the country and hardly ever think of growing other crops which might be equally nutritious and profitable. They never even think of groing maize or (any other fertilizer requiring crop) without fertilizer out of choice. When Malawi reports that there is food shortages in the country what that means to everyone is that there is a shortage or low supply of maize. Farmers only value maize as their main source of food in their households disregarding other food crop which don’t require much to cultivate. Most of households in the country face hunger, not because they live in poverty but because they designed their farms poorly and have chosen to stick to the same old farming methods.

Permaculture Paradise Institute (PPI) has a different story to tell with regards to new productive methods of farming as well addressing the yearly food shortages. Some of these practices include organic crop production, investing in less cultivated crops, diversification, creating food forests as well as utilizing naturally available resources in farming.  Permaculture Paradise proves that it is possible to grow maize without fertilizer and pesticides and still harvest as much. It also proves that farmers can use readily available resources like animal dung for manure to increase food production and also that farmers will benefit from food forests as well as the less cultivated crops. Permaculture Paradise is showing farmers across Malawi that they can grow food all year round without chemicals and inorganic fertilizers as well as cultivate other crops aside from maize which are profitable as much and require less money. If you visit our farm you will be introduced to different crops, food trees and agricultural methods you have never heard of. All of the farming methods are environmental friendly, very easy to practice and require less income.

At PPI, we continue challenging the world that solutions exist, enough to address food shortage challenges, we can grow food beyond maize with organic resources. As a lot of people are struggling to buy enough fertilizer for their fields, therefore as PPI we are here to offer sustainable solutions. Visit our farm to learn more on how you can grow food all year round with no chemicals and synthetic fertilizer.