Department of State facilitates signing of MOU between GOM, Rodale Institute, and Women’s Campaign International

The Department of State facilitated the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Government of Malawi (GOM), the Rodale Institute (RI) and Women’s Campaign International (WCI) in a mid-September event.  The MOU is an innovative multi-sector partnership that addresses some of today’s most critical issues – food security, women’s empowerment and economic and environmental sustainability.

By teaching women leadership skills, as well as providing hands-on training in sustainable agriculture, the program will help women farmers in rural areas of Malawi to provide for their communities. 

The MOU contains a number of key characteristics including:

• Country Ownership – The GOM has been involved from the project’s initial design and is will follow it through to completion.  The program focus is not on aid but on generating self-sufficiency.
• Holistic Design – The program is designed to simultaneously address crucial needs of food security, women’s empowerment and environmental and economic sustainability.
  
• Multi-Sector Approach – The program builds upon the inherent strengths of each of the partners to create a model that is stronger and more viable than either party could attempt alone.
• Partnership Pilot – This multi-sector partnership pilot can serve as a model for other rural communities within Malawi as well as for other countries facing similar challenges.  The strength of the partnership model allows for flexibility in program design and nimbleness in response to changing conditions.
• Sustainability – The program aims to be both environmentally and economically sustainable by including organic methods of agriculture and train the trainer capacity.
  
• Top Management Support – The MOU enjoys the support of the senior leadership of the all parties to the agreement.