Across many rural communities, young people are moving away from agriculture in search of other opportunities. In Mpanshya, Rufunsa District, 24-year-old Khondwani Banda has chosen a different path. A small-scale poultry farmer with ambitions of becoming a teacher of layer hen production, he is continuing a farming tradition that stretches back generations.
Farming has always been part of Khondwani’s life as he grew up in a family that depends on agriculture for its livelihood. His father, a lead farmer, grows soyabeans, maize, sunflower and vegetables, and it was farming that paid for Khondwani’s education.
“My father trained me about farming from childhood,” he says. “As I grew up, I saw that it’s better to continue the same farming activities.”
The influence of farming in his family goes back even further. His grandfather, now 80 years old, was also a farmer and once managed a large orchard. “It’s my wish to follow his steps,” Khondwani says.
Although farming surrounded him from an early age, it was not always the path he expected to take. But when school did not go as planned, he turned to the work he already understood. It was around this time that agroecology, through Tweende implementation partner Seb Scott of Grassroots Trust, was introduced in Mpanshya.
At one of the project’s first community meetings, participants were asked to bring vegetables they had grown. At the time, Khondwani was managing a small vegetable garden and was the only person able to bring produce to the meeting. That simple moment marked the beginning of his active involvement in the project.
Community members participated in livestock activities focused on poultry and piggery, learned about seed systems through 23 demonstration plots, and explored the importance of forest conservation. Among all these experiences, one lesson stood out.
During the previous farming season, a three-week drought affected the area. As the dry conditions persisted, Khondwani observed clear differences between crops grown with conventional fertiliser and those grown using bokashi manure. According to his observations, the crops grown with bokashi performed better under the challenging conditions.
“In my own observation, bokashi is the best and cheapest way of farming,” he says. “I am trying by all means to convince people so that they can also copy and use it.”
The experience strengthened his belief in agroecological practices and encouraged him to share what he had learned with others. One such opportunity came when an older farmer in the community expressed doubts about using manure-based farming methods.
The farmer believed fertiliser was the only reliable option. To demonstrate the difference, Khondwani invited him to compare two plots during the drought period. One had been treated with fertiliser and the other with bokashi. The difference was clear.
“He was convinced after seeing the grain,” Khondwani recalls. “By now he is even preparing the raw materials for bokashi.”
For Khondwani, this was proof that practical demonstrations can sometimes be more effective than words.
But not every learning experience produced the same results. Among the 23 demonstration plots was a trial on green manure that was allocated to someone who had little interest in farming and did not manage it properly.
“This trial was not seriously taken,” he says. “For this reason we did not manage to see the benefits of green manure.”
The experience emphasised an important lesson: successful farmer-led research depends not just on the technology or practice being tested, but also on the commitment of the people involved.
While reflecting on what he has learned so far, Khondwani is already thinking about challenges that still need attention in his community. One issue he has identified is soil erosion in areas where water flows unchecked across farmland. He hopes to learn more about water harvesting in the future so that he can share this knowledge with farmers whose land is being affected by erosion.
His commitment to farming stands in contrast to the choices many young people around him are making. According to Khondwani, most youths in Mpanshya have turned to illegal mining because they see little value in agriculture. At farming meetings, young people are often absent. He believes some lack the knowledge needed to see farming as a viable livelihood, while others lack the capital required to start agricultural enterprises. Many therefore turn to mining in the hope of earning enough money.
Despite these challenges, Khondwani remains optimistic about the future. He believes that Tweende is only beginning to show its potential impact in the community.
“Overall we appreciate the knowledge which this project is providing to us. We pray that this project continues to be with us and sustain us and the incoming generation.”
For Khondwani Banda, farming is more than a source of income. It is a legacy handed down through generations, a practical solution to local challenges, and a way of investing in the future of his community. Through learning, experimentation and sharing knowledge with others, he is helping demonstrate how agroecology can take root among a new generation of farmers.