DEDZA DISTRICT, Malawi (May 16, 2002) - Maize is a staple crop in central Malawi. It's been grown here for generations and still provides the bedrock of rural diets. So it may seem strange that one of CARE’s key messages to farmers in this region is this: grow beans, too.

Why beans? Beans provide young children with a better diet, with more of the protein, vitamins and minerals they need for healthy growth. This is particularly important as food shortages envelop Malawi, where between 3 and 7 million people are facing severe hunger -- even imminent starvation.

Beans also are better for the farmers who grow them. They help regenerate exhausted soil by adding valuable nitrates, and they bring higher prices in the local markets than other crops. In central Malawi, CARE has a special tool to help encourage the cultivation of beans. His name is Alfred Kambwiri.

Alfred is agriculture field adviser for the Central Region Livelihood Security Programme (CRSLP), which aims to improve the food and livelihood of area households. An important part of Alfred's job is to encourage people to eat a better variety of foods, rather than just maize, the locally preferred staple. And just as it takes a considerable amount of persuasion to adjust people's eating habits, it takes a great deal of effort to get wary farmers to change entrenched farming methods.

Beans help improve nutrition as well as income. (©CARE 2002/Courtesy CARE UK)

Alfred, 28, works with 4,000 farmers in Dedza district. He provides them with training and follow-up advice on new fast-growing, high-yield crops, such as beans. He also offers advice on how to improve farming techniques, including making and using organic fertilizers -- so-called "green manure."

As part of the project, CARE distributes seeds to help farmers diversify their crops. This includes establishing local seed banks and teaching their importance. A seed bank starts each farmer out with nearly nine pounds of bean seeds. After growing and harvesting the crop, the farmer must pay back the seed bank about 18 pounds of beans, which then are loaned to other farmers. In addition, each farmer pays the bank about 10 kwatcha (12 cents) per week for seed storage. A village committee oversees the bank, ensuring that all deposits are made and that the seeds are safe.

Alfred’s success stories include the village of Chikuse, where more than 2,000 farmers have benefited so far from the seed bank. But he cautions that in recent months, the food crisis has affected all his villages.

"This season, it has been very difficult to work with communities because of the national food crisis," he says. "It is hard to mobilize people when they are hungry. This year is worse than last year."

But Alfred says the farmers participating in CARE projects have not been hit as hard as others. They have been able to grow more food and sell more beans for cash.

"It can be challenging at times, because the farmers I work with have few resources," Alfred says. "But still, I train them on how they can use the local resources to improve their agriculture practices. I feel that my work is very important."