Covid-19 Hindered Business for Farmers, Then They Found Solutions

With access to markets and capital negatively impacted by the pandemic, people have found ways to cushion the damage. The government placed restrictions on movement, disrupting agribusiness in Limbe and across Malawi. Farmers couldn't sell their crops, while traders couldn't buy. Rose Chisowa is one such agro-entrepreneur - she grows tomatoes and rice and raises pigs and chickens on a two-hectare plot near the capital of Lilongwe. The pandemic forced her to do things differently, at a steeper cost, and she had to take a loan, Charles Pensulo writes for African Arguments.

Meanwhile, the Malawi government has announced that following a sharp decrease in Covid-19 cases, it has softened some restrictions imposed to deter widespread infections. Health Minister Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said that having moved to level 1, as measured by the steadily declining Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country, in addition to the general public health measures, which must be strictly observed and enforced. Curfew has been adjusted to run from 00h00 to 06h00. Only 35,5% of Malawi's population are fully vaccinated.

To date the country has recorded more than 61,676 cases of Covid-19, including 2,290 deaths and 56,430 recoveries since the start of the pandemic.