We have embarked on a project that is centred on increasing support for and the usage of small grains and indigenous food crops.

Working together with Christian Aid, we are targeting small scale farmers who need market penetration skills to sell their indigenous crops through the implementation of sustainable marketing promotion and policy changes by the governments in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The project, which started in March is aimed at the promotion and market penetration of small grains and indigenous crops that are not only highly nutritious but a relevant, readily available and cheap food for small scale farmers to grow.

It has been recognised that many governments do not have programmes that promote the use of small grains and indigenous foods. The main purpose of this project is to identify and open up promotion avenues and create markets for small scale farmers.

We feel that these crops are:

•  Key in improving food security
•  Resilient to disease and climate change
•  Less vulnerable to moisture and temperature change
• Inexpensive
• Recommended foods for sick people, especially HIV and AIDS patients.

We will:

• Identify different marketing opportunities in the region and make them penetrable for the small scale farmer.
• Influence different government policies to have them accommodate small grains and indigenous food s into their marketing and promotional packages just like they do with maize.
• Initiate policy debates in SADC between governments, policy makers and interested parties on how best to support indigenous food crops and increase small grain production.

At the end of this project we expect to see an increased use and appreciation for small grains and indigenous food crops.