The innovative Entrepreneur for Rural Access (ERA) model presented by Vinjeru Mlenga, Access Agriculture Entrepreneur Coach for Southern Africa and Pemphero Kumbani, ERA from Malawi, attracted a lot of attention at the Sustainability Symposium in Lilongwe, Malawi, 16-17 July 2024.
The Sustainability Symposium brought together the implementing partners of the project ‘Empowering Youth in Agribusiness (EYA!) - Supporting agricultural technical vocational education and training (ATVET)’ to highlight project achievements, showcase successful and sustainable approaches and effective partnerships. The Symposium marked the end of the EYA! ATVET project, which was implemented by GIZ in partnership with several organisations in Malawi.
During the event, Pemphero and Vinjeru explained the importance of Access Agriculture’s mission and work and the ERA initiative. Describing his ERA experience as incredibly enriching and transformative, Pemphero Kumbani said, “It has opened numerous opportunities for me to apply what I learnt in the class into real-life scenarios and has significantly increased my confidence and expertise in the field of agroecology and aquaculture.”
Pemphero also shared his experience on his collaboration with the EYA! ATVET project, which had engaged him to train members of six youth clubs in Mchinji District in agroecological practices using a smart projector that he had received from Access Agriculture upon being selected as an ERA.
Pemphero mentioned that he showed videos to the members of the youth clubs in the local Chichewa language on various topics, such as mushroom, soya bean and groundnut production as well as many food processing techniques. Some of the youths listening to him wanted to become ERAs so that they could help farmers in their region using the smart projector.
A young woman from Mzuzu said, "I work with more than 500 farmers and the projector would be a great resource in training farmers in winter cropping, especially vegetable production.”
Expressing her satisfaction at the interest shown in the videos and the ERA model at the Sustainability Symposium, Vinjeru said that some organisations, such as CARE Malawi, wished to hire ERA services for the communities they work with.
