FVR encourages men and women farmers to work together to achieve farming
success
Mrs. Mchekachadza from Nsabwe, Central Region, in Malawi joined the Nsabwe FVR Radio Listening
Club after witnessing a transformation in her husband. In the past, her husband would not undertake
any chore that was perceived to be “feminine” such as cooking, heating water for bathing, sweeping and
drawing water. When Mrs. Mchekachadza woke up one morning to realize that her husband had swept
the yard and prepared water for his wife to bath, she was amazed. The roles of men and women are
traditionally divided in Malawi, with the men undertaking agricultural work and controlling the
resources generated through agriculture, and the women assigned to reproductive tasks, and tending to
household chores. The state of affairs has changed in this family. When Mr. Mchekachadza heard about
the benefits of working together with his wife on Farmer
Voice Radio (FVR) programming, he understood the
advantages of this practice to increase his household’s
farming success. “I didn’t properly know about gender”, said
Mr. Mchekachadza, “… through the Radio Listening Club we
have been discussing it and now I know what it is all about”.
Mr. Mchekachadza’s changed outlook enticed Mrs.
Mchekachadza to join the Nsabwe Radio Listening Club. “My
wife is now part of us,” said Mr. Mchekachadza, proudly. Mr.
and Mrs. Mchekachadza now spend more time together
doing agricultural activities, and they distribute the benefits
Mr. and Mrs. Chagwa and their family in
front of their house, which they
after harvesting more equitably than before.
constructed together
FVR has changed women’s attitudes, too. After listening to
FVR programming highlighting gender issues in farming, Mebo Chagwa, from the Southern region of
Malawi, told her husband not to employ a laborer to assist in the
construction of their house. She offered to work together with her
husband on the construction of the house, to save the costs of a
paid laborer. They made savings that they subsequently used to
purchase agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, which they would
not previously have been able to afford. Mr. and Mrs. Chagwa
now work together on other household tasks that were previously
divided between them on basis of gender, including some farming
activities. They plan to buy iron sheets for roofing their house after
harvesting this year, as they have a promising crop stand after
Mr. and Mrs. Chagwe work together
working together in the field.
to increase their productivity