IN MALAWI FARMERS INVEST IN THE HEALTH OF THEIR CHICKENS

In Malawi, Fert and Fert Walima operate in the northern region, in the district of Mzimba, where almost all farmers own at least a few chickens, as small-scale poultry farming is the most accessible in terms of initial investment and maintenance. The chickens, most of which are local breeds, are a source of food and income and are useful in social relations (thank you gifts, celebrations, etc.).
However, most farmers do not invest in improving their livestock facilities: chicken coops are rare and chickens are left to roam freely during the day, feeding on food waste, crop residues, earthworms, termites, and other insects they find along the way. At night, the chickens are locked up in houses to protect them from predators.

Chickens decimated by Newcastle disease

Newcastle disease is caused by a virus transmitted by infected chickens or, more rarely, by infected wild birds. It spreads very quickly and can decimate an entire flock in a matter of days. It is particularly prevalent in July and August, but outbreaks can also occur in November and December and March and April, so vaccination must be carried out three times a year to protect chickens. This disease is considered by producers to be the leading cause of death in chickens.

A disease on the verge of eradication thanks to 30 farmer vaccinators

In 2024, producer organizations selected 14 relay farmers to be trained by Fert and district livestock services on chicken farming (housing, feeding, preventive and curative health care) and, more specifically, on vaccination against Newcastle disease with the I2 vaccine. The relay farmers were also trained in raising awareness about vaccination and monitoring registered and vaccinated chickens using simple and effective tools. In order to maintain the cold chain, they were equipped with clay pots for storing vaccines and wicker baskets for transporting them. The doses are purchased at low cost from the Central Veterinary Laboratory in Lilongwe. Fert and Fert Walima supported the purchase to launch the first vaccination campaign in July-August 2024. Since then, the farmer facilitators have purchased the vaccines with their own funds.

In April 2025, 16 new farmers selected by their respective organizations received the same training and were equipped to begin vaccination during the July-August 2025 campaign.

To date, 30 relay farmers from 20 Fert partner producer organizations order and finance their own doses purchased in Lilongwe by one of their representatives. As illustrated in the graph below, the increase in the number of relay farmers has significantly increased the number of vaccinated chickens, drastically reducing chicken mortality.

All the farmers involved in the program have observed that “in the areas where we have vaccinated, no deaths from Newcastle disease have been reported.”

The relay farmers have been trained to diagnose and treat other diseases and parasites that commonly affect chickens (coryza, fowl pox, coccidiosis, fleas, worms, etc.). Eleven of the 30 relay farmers have started selling other preventive and curative treatments, the first of which were purchased with the profits generated by their vaccination services.

However, the relay farmers still face certain difficulties: even if they arrive very early in the morning, the chickens have sometimes already been released and the relay farmers waste time trying to catch them to vaccinate them. Furthermore, as more chickens are killed in July-August than in November-December or March-April, farmers are less willing to request and pay for vaccination services during these two periods, especially as they have less cash flow at these times.

A farmer trained in 2024 shares her experience

Fungai Chiumia, selected by her cooperative in early 2024, says:

“The I2 vaccine is particularly suited to our environment because it doesn’t need to be refrigerated. I put it in sand, under a clay pot filled with fresh water, and I can store it for 30 days. When I go out to vaccinate, I put the bottles I need in a small wicker basket that keeps the vaccine fresh for three hours. However, once I open a bottle, I can’t keep it for more than three days. The vaccine is very easy to use: you just put a drop in the chicken’s eye…!”

“Since I was trained, I have vaccinated 7,611 chickens belonging to 135 producers, who have increased their income because no chickens have died thanks to the vaccination. I made a total profit of 725,105 MWK (€356), which enabled me to buy five bags of corn to feed my family and 70 kg of fertilizer to increase my corn yield. I also invested in the purchase of 100 kg of tobacco, which I will resell at a profit, as buying and reselling tobacco is a very lucrative activity in the area.”