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JANEEMO news |
First edition, 20th May 2010 |
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“Muli bwanji” from Malawi, and welcome to the first JANEEMO newsletter.
Find out here about some of the major developments of the past few months and plans for the future. |
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Over 1000 farmers have now planted JANEEMO trees and many are using their products. Word is spreading and other districts (and groups in other countries!) are keen to learn more too. |
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If you are unfamiliar with the JANEEMO initiative, learn how its three trees (Jatropha, Neem and Moringa) are helping households provide for their own energy and nutrition needs and generating income here |
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Many local farmers saw JANEEMO in action at the community festival we ran in July last year, supported by the government of Malawi. We ran demonstrations on processing the leaves, seeds and wood of trees into biofuel, food, soap and medicine – products which were sold on the day at market stalls. We also ran a successful biogas demonstration.
One of our major JANEEMO aims is to stimulate the market for Moringa, which can provide a nutritious source of food when other staple crops fail and can be used in the development of village enterprises. Moringa powder is now in demand among office-workers in Blantyre and being prepared for the Blantyre Trade Fair.
Over the past few months we have also run a successful trial of Neem firewood in Blantyre.
There has been an unwelcome, extensive drought in Chikwawa over the past few months, which has affected Jatropha in particular. However, as testament to the value of the trees, it’s encouraging to see the determination of farmers to replant when the rains arrived.
Although our focus is strongly trees and enterprise, we are running teaching programmes in both Malawian and Scottish classrooms, including comics, films and teacher materials.
None of this would be possible without Scottish Government funding. We are delighted to have recently been awarded support for a further three years. Find out the funder perspective here.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to know more or have something to share.
Zikomo kwambiri (thank you very much)
JANEEMO team |
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Contents |
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What is JANEEMO? |
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JANEEMO is a community agro-forestry initiative in the Chikwawa and Nsanje Districts of the Lower Shire region of Malawi.
The concept was developed in early 2007 by the Malawian district government and forestry department, supported through the EU’s IFMSLP programme.
In November 2008, a new phase of work, ‘Thriving JANEEMO Communities’, was awarded a grant by the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund. In March 2010, a second grant was awarded by the Scottish Government for the project ‘JANEEMO Enterprises’, which will build on the sustainable micro-businesses developed during the first project.
Three tree species, JAtropha, NEem and MOringa (hence the acronym, JANEEMO), are being grown by farmers as living fences around household and field boundaries.
The trees all have multiple uses. |
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The seeds of Jatropha are particularly oil-rich. They may be processed locally to produce biofuels for lamps, stoves and generators, or turned into soap. The pressed seeds can be used to produce biogas for cooking and an agricultural fertiliser. Jatropha is not palatable to livestock, and it grows to form strong and impenetrable fences. |
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The Moringa tree produces a highly nutritious leaf and oil, high in protein and vitamin A. It needs to be well managed as goats enjoy its leaves too! |
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Neem is a natural medicine (often referred to as ‘the village pharmacy’), and may be used to treat malaria, intestinal problems and rashes. In powder form, it is used to create nutritional supplements, salves and lotions. Neem is one of the fastest growing hardwoods and provides a valuable source of sustainable firewood, particularly in rural areas without electricity.
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Biogas trial |
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A crowd gathered as two men shovelled spadefuls of manure and leaves into the large blue cylinder. Another large cylinder was positioned above, trapping the bubbling methane gas from the earthy mixture.
The biodigester was hooked up via a hose to a gas burner, which produced a pale blue flame once lit.
The biogas trial was run at Mirole secondary school in Chikwawa from the community festival in July last year, where it provided cooking gas and an educational exhibit.
Plans are to run a demonstration at the Blantyre Trade Fair and investigate options for a renewable energy showcase.
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Enterprise: Selling Moringa |
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Although Moringa is found in most rural areas and has such a high nutritional value, its benefits are not widely known amongst rural and urban Malawians.
The JANEEMO team has been encouraging sales at rural village markets, and stimulating urban demand by selling Moringa powder in 40 gram bags to Blantyre office workers. So far, over 100 kilogrammes has been sold and distributed as samples in this way. |
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Demand for the Moringa powder is growing and the JANEEMO farmers are starting to reap the benefits.
Farmers in Chikwawa are responding to increased demand. Nyanggu Group Village produced 54 kg in the last month alone, and more is coming for next month’s International Trade Fair in Blantyre.
The Moringa is dried in specially-designed solar driers to make sure all the nutrients are retained. A sales commission is offered to encourage enterprise.
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Enterprise: Neem firewood |
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Over 90% of Malawi’s energy is produced from wood in its many forms, including charcoal.
Not surprisingly, this over reliance is putting huge strain on the indigenous forests. Malawi’s deforestation rate is the highest in southern Africa, at 2.8% per annum.
A three year old Neem tree that is well managed by pollarding the branches will produce two cubic metres of good firewood per year. |
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This would be enough to last a household for a week. Therefore, 52 trees would provide all the fuel needs for a household.
With this in mind, JANEEMO ran a sustainable firewood trial. Four truckloads of wood were produced by Nsanje farmers for sale to urban consumers in Ndirande township, Blantyre, with youth groups as salespeople. The trial ran for six weeks.
A business plan is being developed and funding is being sought to expand fuel wood production and also consider sustainable Neem charcoal production. Collaboration is ongoing with Mary’s Meals, who are interested in sustainable, legal firewood and fuel efficiency.
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The future of JANEEMO Enterprises |
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In March 2010, we learned of our successful bid to the Scottish Government for a grant to develop JANEEMO enterprises. We will be working closely with Africa and Scotland-based Imani Development to develop markets for JANEEMO products and explore possible Fairtrade accreditation. |
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Drought |
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“30% drop in food output’ – Shire Valley by 60%” ran the headline in national newspaper, Malawi News in late February. The Government’s Agriculture Development Department produced this bleak forecast.
Some JANEEMO farmers lost over half of their Jatropha trees, which they had planted as cuttings prior to the start of the drought in November. |
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After more than three months of drought the rains finally arrived in February. JANEEMO farmers have been quick to replant their crops and trees from the seeds we have provided. This determination and value placed on JANEEMO trees has been very encouraging.
Diversification of crops to drought hardy alternatives, including Moringa, will also help adapt to droughts in the future.
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JANEEMO Education |
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We are involved in a teaching programme in selected Malawian schools to ensure JANEEMO is taken up by tomorrow’s farmers. This includes a Chichewa (Malawian language) comic featuring the JANEEMOIDs, invisible characters who live in the trees and help farmers. The recent second edition explains the benefits of planting JANEEMO around the house and social issues identified by students such as “Danger, crocodiles in the water”. A puppet show is also being written to bring the JANEEMOIDs into the real world! |
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In Scotland, two films are being made as the centrepiece of a teacher-led JANEEMO programme for primary and secondary schools. In partnership with education body, Learning and Teaching Scotland, a group of teachers are designing teacher notes, games and exercises.
Click the below images to view the videos!
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Scottish Government |
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JANEEMO has been made possible thanks to Scottish Government funding. Ms Hyslop MSP, Minister for Culture and External Affairs, offered us these words of support:
“As a responsible nation Scotland is committed to alleviating poverty in the developing world. Through projects such as JANEEMO, the Scottish Government is facilitating and encouraging partnership working to help Malawians help themselves. I continue to wish the project well and look forward to following its progress.”
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More about JANEEMO
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‘Thriving JANEEMO Communities’ is funded by the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund. It is being led by The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen.
Entech is a Malawian environmental technology company, which focuses on the cultivation, conservation and commercialisation of oil bearing trees and medicinal plants at a local scale in southern Africa. Entech is responsible for delivering JANEEMO on the ground, in Malawi.
Climate Futures, an Edinburgh-based consultancy, is helping to communicate and develop the Scottish education programme.
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For the diary: |
 Commonwealth Forestry Conference in Edinburgh: Jonah Chimusoro, implementer in Malawi, is presenting JANEEMO at the conference - 28th June - 2nd July
Blantyre trade fair: JANEEMO will have a stand selling Moringa and demonstrating other uses of trees in May 21st - 29th May
JANEEMO Schools Week: designing comics and dramatising JANEEMOID characters at secondary schools along theMasanjere escarpment, 17th-19th May
JANEEMO film launch: late June at the Edinburgh College of Art 24th June
Moringa cooking oil demonstrations: pupils from Mirole secondary school present at the Malawian Schools Science Fair, Kamuzu Academy, 3rd-6th July |
What’s in the next newsletter? |
JANEEMO enterprise, including take up at the Blantyre Trade Fair
JANEEMO education: programmes underway in Malawian and Scottish classrooms, including the schools week, educational films, comics and puppet shows
JANEEMO Carbon Balancing: how to get involved in our unique scheme to establish village seed orchards and nurseries
Improving well-being of HIV/AIDS patients using Moringa food supplements
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| Visit our website to find out more: www.janeemo.org |
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