One Acre Fund Malawi is supporting 149,777 smallholder farmers across nine districts with agricultural inputs worth K54.6 billion, alongside climate-smart farming training and insurance, as concerns grow over the potential impact of El Niño on the 2026/27 farming season.

The intervention, delivered through the organisation’s Input Loan Programme, is designed to help farming households access quality seeds and fertiliser ahead of the planting season while strengthening their resilience to unpredictable rainfall and prolonged dry spells.

The programme covers Blantyre, Thyolo, Mulanje, Chiradzulu, Zomba, Machinga, Ntcheu, Dedza and Lilongwe.

Under the scheme, farmers receive agricultural inputs on credit, with a flexible 10-month repayment period intended to reduce the financial burden of purchasing essential farming supplies.

With the threat of dry conditions raising concerns about crop establishment and yields, One Acre Fund is prioritising early-maturing seed varieties that allow farmers to complete crop development within shorter growing periods.

Climate-smart farming training strengthens resilience

Beyond providing seeds and fertiliser, the programme incorporates agricultural extension services to help farmers improve productivity under increasingly uncertain climatic conditions.

Through community-based field officers, beneficiaries participate in weekly training sessions covering micro-dosing, organic composting, precision spacing and appropriate planting times.

These practices are intended to improve the efficient use of agricultural inputs, support soil health and help farmers manage the risks associated with unreliable rainfall.

Enrolled farmers also receive climate risk insurance, providing financial protection against qualifying yield losses caused by extreme weather conditions.

The combination of input financing, technical training and insurance is intended to address several challenges that limit smallholder farmers’ ability to invest in agricultural production.

Input financing improves household food production

The benefits of affordable agricultural inputs are reflected in the experience of Rabecca Mezani, a smallholder farmer from Ntcheu District who joined One Acre Fund in 2023.

Before enrolling in the programme, high seed and fertiliser prices at local shops made it difficult for her to secure sufficient inputs. Her half-acre maize field produced approximately 200 kilogrammes per season, often falling short of household food requirements.

Since joining the Input Loan Programme, her production has increased to as much as 700 kilogrammes, equivalent to 14 bags, during a good farming season.

Mezani said receiving agricultural inputs and fertiliser before the first rains had improved her ability to prepare for planting and achieve better harvests.

She also highlighted the flexible repayment arrangements, which allow her to pay for inputs gradually rather than raising the entire amount upfront.

Her experience illustrates how access to agricultural financing can help smallholder farmers overcome financial barriers to improved production.

One Acre Fund expands agricultural support in Malawi

One Acre Fund began operating in Malawi in 2013 and currently serves more than 750,000 smallholder farmers across 13 districts, both directly and through partnerships.

Its interventions extend beyond agricultural input financing to include agroforestry, fruit tree production, market access and climate resilience initiatives.

The latest distribution represents an effort to strengthen smallholder preparedness ahead of a potentially challenging farming season, when access to affordable inputs and climate-adaptive farming practices will be particularly important.

As climate variability increasingly threatens agricultural production, initiatives combining input access, extension services and financial risk protection could play an important role in safeguarding rural livelihoods and strengthening Malawi’s food security.