00:26:33 The Scotland Malawi Partnership: Welcome to the Roundtable meeting with Fiona Ritchie, the British High Commissioner to Malawi. Please feel free to introduce yourselves and share any questions you have in the chat. We look forward to an engaging discussion! 00:27:28 Linda Dembo: Morning Scotland. Afternoon Malawi. Am Linda Dembo from Malawi Scotland Partnership 00:28:16 Charles Leyman Kachitsa: Good morning, I am Dr Charles Leyman Kachitsa based in UK Manchester. Nice to see you all here. 00:30:11 Dorothea - The Scotland Malawi Partnership: Welcome! Feel free to introduce yourself, I'm Dorothea, the Administration and Membership Officer here at the SMP 00:31:06 Winnie Bunihizi - University of Dundee: Good morning/ Afternoon - I'm Winfred Bunihizi, the Africa Project Manager at the University of Dundee 00:31:35 Mike McCabe - zambesi mission: Good morning all, Mike McCabe, Mission Director - zambesi mission. We have been working into Malawi for over 130 years. Thanks for including me. 00:32:10 Isaac Monjo Chavula: Good morning Scotland, and Good afternoon Malawi. I am Isaac Monjo Chavula, The Country Director for Tiyeni Organization, Malawi. 00:32:49 barry klaassen: good morning Im Dr Barry Klaassen Trustee on board of SMP and Project lead Scottish Emergency Medicine -Malawi Project 00:36:20 Martina ecoLODGy Malawi: Good Day everyone, this is Martina Kunert, CEO at ecoLODGy Sustainability & Permaculture Centre, Bvumbwe 00:36:53 Emma Wood: I have a question if there's time ' At a past event like this you said the small grants had been abolished because you felt £10,000 couldn't do more than fund a conference. A number of small NGOs were shocked by that opinion and can challenge it with multiple examples of deep impacts achieved by agile, flexible grassroots organisations. Have you come across some of these initiatives and projects since you expressed that view and have you changed your opinion of what £10,000 can achieve?' 00:39:59 susandalgety: Could everyone please make sure they are muted. Thanks 00:50:29 kateh: Can Fiona share more on the centrally organised WASH projects? Think Malawi is a small UK charity working with Malawi NGOs. Many applications for funding to support MHM resourcing to keep girls in school. 00:51:15 Edward Duncan: Road Traffic fatalities and injuries cost Malawi 10.8% of GDP (World Bank data). I know the High Commission are working in this area and would be keen to hear if they have any more plans to support this area of work 00:53:05 barry klaassen: agree Eddie and also prioritise the development of improved Emergency and trauma care in Country 00:53:45 Rebecca Foster - Cambridge - Energy Justice in Malawi: You mentioned a focus on climate and energy. I’d be keen to hear more about what the British Commission is prioritising concerning energy access more specifically. Thank you. 00:56:12 kateh: Access to T&L resources essential. Widening access to community radio programmes, digital learning resources are beneficial. MACRA introducing tablet based resources to primary schools - can this link to the Maths investment? 00:58:53 Isaac Monjo Chavula: Tiyeni is a local agricultural NGO that promote climate resilient method of farming known as the Deep Bed Farming (DBF). Government of Malawi approved it on 16th December 2021 after 3 years of superior performance over existing farming methods. the DBF harvests rainwater by more than 90%, controls soil erosion and more than doubles crop yields. It is environmental friendly as it restores agriculture productivity, and more. 01:01:17 Karen Kumakanga, Coach: All protocols observed, I would like to ask if there is support or a theme on entreprenurial support programs, and community climate resilience responses 01:03:10 Nelson Chautala Msiska: Replying to "Access to T&L resour..." I think it's not MACRA which introduced the tablet based resources but BEFIT 01:04:50 kateh: Replying to "Access to T&L resour..." Thank you 01:05:05 Nelson Chautala Msiska: Replying to "Access to T&L resour..." Welcome 01:06:29 Isaac Monjo Chavula: Tiyeni has developed training materials on the Deep Bed Farming and the intention is to introduce the Deep Bed Farming in schools at all levels from kindergarten, primary, secondary to colleges. Tiyeni believes that implementing this would prepare school graduates to become better managers of their water and soil resources and contribute to national economy sustainably. 01:08:42 Kate & Mick James: Fiona - Malawi could have a strategy of exporting smart young people. Do you have a position on remittance led growth as a means to drive Malawian economic growth? 01:09:10 kateh: Learners who work hard and are successful at school find it difficult to find employment after school. Are there are ways of increasing employment opportunities? 01:10:27 Karen Kumakanga, Coach: Is there a specific fund to look at innovations that could replace the charcoal value chain? 01:10:48 Kate & Mick James: Fiona - would you be interested to see a successful home grown school feeding program covering 16 rural schools in northern Malawi. This feeding approach creates community empowerment and is sustainable, and community owned. 01:11:15 Isaac Monjo Chavula: with Deep Bed Farming smallholder farmers are able to get more than 8tons per ha from about 2tons per ha. 01:12:01 susandalgety: Mick on mute 01:12:43 Kate & Mick James: sorry the mute is off at my end 01:13:54 Karen Kumakanga, Coach: How about an online approach for youth jobs where possible? 01:16:46 Martina ecoLODGy Malawi: We would like to work with mega farms on economically viable agroecology trials with alternative natural soil health amendments on part of their big farms, to drive a transformation towards sustainable agriculture both at commercial and smallholder scale,. This could help Malawi learn from all the mistakes already made in other countries and avoid some of the highly destructive impacts that megafarms based on soil compaction, chemical fertilizers and glyphosate would have. We see a potential for Malawi to become a leader in agroforestry, in support of the current move to pan-african soil health movements, if enough universities, young upcomign entrpreneurs, policy makers, and the mega-farmers get to know enough about these methods and work together on green growth. Would there be an option for the UK High Commission to facilitate some meetings with the Mega Farms Unit to give opportunity to successful permaculture and agroecological actors from Malawi to inform them and "pitch" their advisory and solutions? 01:17:13 Kate & Mick James: Regarding charcoal... is anything being done to reduce the need for wood/charcoal and provide alternatives. This is the only way to stop wood chopping and charcoal burning. We have seen the amazing work Ripple Africa are doing to promote self-built cook stoves that only use 30% of the wood of a three-stone fire (with lots of other benefits such as less smoke inhalation, respiratory disease and burns). This should be a national initiative. 01:21:23 The Scotland Malawi Partnership: Upcoming Events: https://www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/events/upcoming-events Become a member: https://www.scotland-malawipartnership.org/join 01:22:02 Rebecca Foster: Reacted to "Regarding charcoal....." with 👍 01:22:45 Isaac Monjo Chavula: Tiyeni is looking for opportunity through the MaSP/SMP to provide support to produce Deep Bed Farming school text books for use in schools in Malawi. 01:25:05 Stuart: Replying to "Tiyeni is looking fo..." Happy to speak with you Isaac about Malawi-Scotland school links and if and how we can support but we are not a donor and would not be able to fund 01:25:46 Linda Dembo: We at Malawi Scotland Partnership greatly value the strong relationship between our countries and the spirit of cooperation that underpins our efforts. In light of our shared commitment to fostering sustainable development and cultural exchange, we are eager to explore potential avenues. Thanks for today 01:25:48 Martina ecoLODGy Malawi: Replying to "Regarding charcoal....." There has been much going on in this space over the past 15 years, you may want to link up with the Movement for Bio-Energy Advocacy, Utilization & Action in Malawi (MBAULA) www.mbaula.org to get into the details 01:25:52 Kate & Mick James: Thank you for the session :-) 01:26:10 Winnie Bunihizi - University of Dundee: Thank you 01:26:13 Martina ecoLODGy Malawi: Thank you very much! 01:26:14 Isaac Monjo Chavula: Replying to "Tiyeni is looking fo..." Thank you sincerely 01:26:15 John Wyllie: Thank you! 01:26:18 Bosco Exson Chinkonda: Thank you! 01:26:25 Linda Dembo: Thank you! 01:26:50 Dorothea - The Scotland Malawi Partnership: Thank you to all!