WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
The Manjalende community is made of subsistence smallholder farmers who depend on rain-fed agriculture and rely on a single maize harvest for their livelihoods. As such, they are very vulnerable to climate-related natural disasters, such as floods and droughts, which directly affect agricultural productivity. Cases of extreme poverty, which is quantified by earning less than U$1.50 a day, are relatively much more frequent for females in the region. Inappropriate agricultural practices with clear cutting, subsequent soil erosion, and indiscriminate use of fertilizers and pesticides have disrupted nutrient cycles. Moreover, the intensification of agriculture in areas of fragile ecological balance is having a deeply negative impact on the socio-economic arrangements of the farming community. It has also created a growing dependence on external markets for hybrid seeds, pesticides and chemical fertilizers.
