In the late afternoon light, the sun bids farewell to the red-soiled fields of Johnstone Village, Traditional Authority, Simulemba, Kasungu. Standing proudly beside his newly built house, 27-year-old Jeremiah Ng’oma grins as he talks about the season that changed his life.

 “Before this project, we had little harvest, and secondly, there were no reliable markets,” he says.

For years, Jeremiah toiled hard on his small plot of land but barely earned anything. Each harvest brought disappointment — buyers were scarce, prices remained low, and inputs were expensive. The dream of building a decent home seemed out of reach.

Everything began to shift with the arrival of the Empowering Women and Youth in Agriculture (EWAYA) project — implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), with funding from the Government of Flanders.

Through training sessions conducted by agricultural extension officers, Jeremiah and other smallholder farmers learned practical techniques that could increase yields and access better markets. 

“They taught us new farming techniques,” he says, wiping sweat from his forehead, “but also taught us how to find better markets and how to get high yields.”

A Dream Come True

Jeremiah joined one of the EWAYA Farmer Organisations and decided to try tomato production. It was a risk; tomatoes require care, good seed, and proper fertiliser, but with the knowledge gained from the project, he was confident. 

“After growing tomatoes, I earned MK 800,000. Then, I bought fertiliser, which I applied on the farm, resulting in a plentiful harvest. After selling the produce, I had enough money to build a house, and some will be used to buy fertiliser for tomatoes,” he says. 

He looks at the house beside him, walls plastered and windows with steel frames. To him, it is more than a structure; it is proof that farming, when done right, can change a life. 

“Before, I couldn’t even dream of building something like this,” he admits softly. “Now, this project has made that dream real.”

The tomato fields have also given him a new rhythm — one of planning, saving, and reinvesting. He now uses part of his earnings to buy inputs in advance and to raise livestock for manure and extra income.

“They teach us to invest the money in animals so that when you need fertiliser, you can sell it and buy fertiliser,” Jeremiah explains. “These animals also provide manure. When rains are not sufficient, manure keeps moisture.”

Changing Mindsets, Inspiring Others

When his neighbours walk past the new house, some stop in admiration. Others whisper in curiosity. To many, Jeremiah’s transformation is an inspiration.

“My peers are envious and they ask how I managed to build such a house,” he says, smiling. “I tell them I got the knowledge from extension workers — you just have to be focused when they teach about farming.”

The training sessions, he adds, taught him that farming is not about luck but about planning and discipline — applying the right spacing, watering at the right time, using organic manure, and choosing the best market.

Through EWAYA’s approach — linking production to markets and teaching farmers to “grow to sell” — Jeremiah and his peers have found stability in what was once unpredictable work.

Looking Ahead