In April-May 2023 FoSTA-Health researchers participated in scoping activities in Zambia and Malawi. Our CzechGlobe team member, Lenka Suchá, joined our other colleagues from the consortium for one week in Malawi. The primary aim of the scoping visit was to gather background information about one-health and food systems transformations in order to refine our research plans. During the visit, she and the team engaged with stakeholders as well as with farmers in a number of fruitful discussions.
The scoping visit started at Area 25 Health Centre in Lilongwe. One of the Area 25 Health Centre’s activities is promotion of nutrition through permaculture gardens among pregnant and lactating women and surrounding communities. The women visiting the health centre are invited to learn about the principles of healthy diets and basic principles of permaculture. To this end, one-health elements and food systems transformation are at the heart of the Area 25 Health Centre activities.
In the following days, we directed our visits to CARE Titukulane project sites in Mangochi and Zomba districts. The CARE Titukulane project is a comprehensive programme aiming to achieve sustainable, equitable and resilient food and nutrition security for vulnerable households. The cross-cutting themes are gender equality, governance and accountability, youth engagement and environmental safeguarding. Titukulane therefore represents a great study site for FoSTA-Health research. Altogether, we led in-depth discussions with more than 60 farmers in two villages. Amongst the wide range of issues, we explored the diverse challenges and opportunities related to crop diversification, irrigation, soil management practices, pests, and vector-born diseases. We also discussed the broader societal dynamics that are pertinent to food system transformation, such as crop marketing, pressure on land and other resources, sources of off-farm income, and gender and household labour. Alongside the visits of CARE Titukulane sites, we also spoke with the District and Provincial officials. During our meetings, we got the chance to introduce and discuss the FoSTA-Health project, our research plans and how it all fits with the work of the government at the district, provincial and national level.
The FoSTA-Health team finished the scoping visit with a convivial debriefing in Blantyre. We reflected on the information we gathered in the community and stakeholder visits, and we discussed them within the project framings. This is an essential step for further development of the specific research plans for the different team members. In the upcoming months, we will continue to deepen our research plans and methodologies.
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