Unlocking Market Access to Strengthen Women-Led Compost Businesses

Under the Promoting Organic Systems of Soil Improvements to Build a Lasting Economy (POSSIBLE) Project, women’s compost products are linked to reliable markets. This market access has boosted incomes, improved product consistency, and enabled women to scale up their operations—contributing to wider adoption of composting for improved soil health.

Building Skills for Soil Regeneration and Business Growth

Through tailor-made capacity-building trainings, women have gained the technical skills to produce high-quality compost and the knowledge to run successful compost businesses. Trainings in business management and gross margin analysis have empowered them to track profits, plan growth, and sustain their enterprises—laying a strong foundation for both soil restoration and economic resilience.

Expanding Market Access Through Digital and Physical Linkages

This component focuses on increasing the use of digital and physical market linkage platforms by male and female adult and youth smallholder farmers. Limited access to markets, pricing information, and quality inputs remains a barrier to productivity and income generation. By leveraging ICT tools, the initiative helps farmers connect to buyers, suppliers, and service providers more efficiently. It strengthens their participation in the agricultural value chain, enhances transparency, and improves decision-making. As a result, farmers are better positioned to sell their produce at competitive prices, access affordable inputs, and increase their resilience to market shocks.

Enabling ICT-Driven Agricultural Extension Through Policy Support

This intervention aims to establish a conducive policy environment for the integration of ICTs—such as radio, mobile phones, and digital tools—into agricultural extension and advisory services. Many smallholder farmers in Malawi face challenges accessing timely and relevant agricultural information. By advocating for ICT-based approaches within national policies and working closely with stakeholders and government institutions, the initiative promotes long-term institutional support and sustainability of these services. It ensures that ICT-enhanced extension is formally recognized, funded, and embedded within agricultural strategies, ultimately expanding the reach and impact of extension services for men, women, and youth farmers.

Promoting Adoption of Agricultural Technologies

It is key to ensure that information about new technologies is accessible, practical, and relevant to local contexts.

Key technologies promoted include drip irrigation for tomatoes, which helps farmers conserve water and increase yields; soil rejuvenation using Mucuna, a leguminous cover crop that improves soil fertility; and onion nursery establishment and disease control, which supports healthier crop development.

Other examples include nematode management in vegetable crops to reduce pest-related losses, and home-based chick rearing to support income generation for women and youth. These technologies are selected for their practicality, affordability, and relevance, and are shared through participatory radio programs, SMS alerts, and community ICT hubs.

Special attention is given to addressing gender and age-related barriers to adoption, ensuring that all groups have equal opportunities to benefit.

Enhancing Farmer Knowledge through Inclusive Extension Services
  • Increasing awareness, knowledge and skills of adult and youth male and female SHFs in agriculture extension through provision of comprehensive information on Agriculture extension and advisory services. By delivering accurate, relevant, and timely information via radio and other ICT platforms, the initiative empowers farmers with practical knowledge on sustainable agriculture, climate-resilient practices, and improved farm management. It ensures inclusivity by targeting both men and women, including youth, fostering informed decision-making, productivity, and resilience in farming communities.
Inclusive Landscape Governance and Legal Empowerment

Participatory land governance was central to the project’s long-term success. Communities were engaged in developing and adopting legal texts for two ecological corridors (Nazinga and Nazinon), covering a total of 37,500 ha. These corridors reconnect critical biodiversity areas while being managed by local populations. Traditional and local authorities, women, and youth participated in land-use planning and landscape governance training. Communities also contributed to restoration and management plans for 16,547 ha. By strengthening local legal literacy and providing technical guidance, the project ensured that biodiversity conservation, land use rights, and sustainable livelihoods were legally protected. The institutionalization of co-managed landscapes enabled communities to transition from passive beneficiaries to rights-holders and stewards.

  • Stakeholder platforms enabled inclusive dialogue and planning.
  • Legal support and government recognition legitimized local decisions.
  • Training on land rights and local governance empowered communities.
  • Traditional leaders’ involvement bridged customary and formal systems.
  • Commitment from public authorities ensured follow-through and upscaling of community-led governance innovations.

Establishing ecological corridors through participatory governance fostered community ownership and legal empowerment. Flexibility in accommodating traditional norms within formal structures improved legitimacy. Trust-building and sustained dialogue were critical—especially where land tenure was sensitive. Challenges included delays in legal processes and the need for continuous technical and legal support to sustain management plans. Clear roles, inclusive structures, and local champions were essential to maintain momentum. Future efforts should integrate financing strategies to support long-term corridor management and policy advocacy at national levels.

Co-Production of Land Restoration and Income-Generating Solutions

The project integrated ecological restoration with local economic development through a co-production model rooted in community needs and knowledge. Interventions included assisted natural regeneration, use of manure pits, nursery establishment, beekeeping, agroforestry, and conservation of wooded areas. These restoration techniques were linked to income-generating activities—e.g., production and marketing of honey, shea butter, soumbala, and soya products. Communities received training, equipment, and support in forming or strengthening cooperatives. The integration of sustainable practices into value chains increased ownership and accelerated adoption. Community-led planning further ensured that ecological outcomes also served livelihoods. A unique aspect was the legal recognition and management of ecological corridors that improved biodiversity while securing local rights to restored land. This model strengthened food security, social cohesion, and economic inclusion while rehabilitating degraded landscapes.

  • Established cooperatives and community groups facilitated coordinated action.
  • Local ecological knowledge enabled effective implementation.
  • Provision of tools, training, and processing equipment allowed communities to operationalize improved practices.
  • Legal frameworks supporting participatory restoration planning legitimized local actions.
  • Multi-actor partnerships ensured long-term support, policy alignment, and technical backing.

Restoration efforts gained traction when aligned with livelihoods. Community buy-in was strongest where immediate benefits—such as improved yields or income—were visible. Familiar practices like manure pits and tree regeneration gained new relevance through enhanced market connections and training. Capacity building must be continuous and locally adapted. While technical and ecological knowledge was strong, access to water during dry seasons emerged as a key limitation, requiring future integration of water solutions. Security challenges in some areas highlighted the need for decentralized, flexible implementation and strong local leadership

4. Integrated Livelihood Development for Conservation NNT NP recognizes that sustainable conservation is intertwined with the well-being of local communities.
  • Participatory Approach (PICAD Model): Livelihood development is guided by the Participatory Integrated Conservation and Development (PICAD), fostering "community ownership" of activities by involving villagers in problem-solving and encouraging their contributions (labour, materials). The management incorporates the Government's "Sam Sang" policy, which promotes the village as the basic unit of development and the district as the development manager. Empowering communities in resource management. Village Development Plans (VDPs) are crucial, guiding the allocation of support from funds like the WB LENS2 and LLL programs
  • Eco-tourism Development: NNT NP facilitates community-based eco-tourism to provide socio-economic benefits to villagers with minimal environmental impact. 
  • Community Outreach and Awareness (COCA): Programs are delivered to communities within the park to raise awareness about conservation issues and integrate conservation messages into local culture.
  • Land Use Planning: Capacity building for district staff in Participatory Land Use Planning (PLUP) and GIS mapping supports the land use plans, ensuring that land use in and around the park is both productive for communities and consistent with conservation goals.
3. Robust Biodiversity Monitoring and Law Enforcement A key pillar of NNT NP's success is its systematic approach to protecting its natural assets.
  • Law Enforcement Program: NNT NP has a proactive law enforcement program focused on protecting wildlife and biological resources, with emphasis on endangered Annamite endemic species. This includes forest patrols (35,000 man-days pa) and operating checkpoints at strategic locations.
  • Targeted Protection: Efforts are concentrated on 3 Biodiversity Priority Zones, based on global conservation importance and threat analysis. The zones are crucial for species like the Critically Endangered Large-antlered Muntjac, offering significant hope for long-term survival.
  • Combating Illegal Activities: Strategies to reduce illegal poaching and trade through improved cooperation with neighbouring countries and intensive patrols along the Lao-Vietnam border. Adaptive law enforcement strategies are informed by "Patrolling Hit Rate" data.
  • Long-term Wildlife Monitoring: The park has a wildlife monitoring program using 300 camera-traps deployed biennially to estimate trends in populations and distribution. This provides essential data for evaluating conservation effectiveness.
  • Research Partnerships: NNT NP actively partners with specialized research organizations to expand knowledge of the park's biota and build staff capacity. Ongoing research includes programs for the Asian Elephant and Chinese swamp cypress.

Support from organizations such as Association Anoulak, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh

Early capacity building by the Wildlife Conservation Society on law enforcement, wildlife monitoring and populational analysis of Asian elephant

Support from NTPC with their Wildlife Program from 2006 to 2012

An extensive list of biologists, wildlife ecologists, botanists and anthropologists   that have developed a wealth of knowledge of the NNT NP ecology