Thanks to generous donations to Permaculture Australia, Mlatho Farms and Agri-Learning Hub in Malawi was one of the organisations that received a Permafund grant in 2024.
Daniel Chibwe, the Founder and Managing Director of Mlatho Farms has sent us this update on their progress. We appreciate Daniel keeping us up to date, and heartened to hear of the opportunities that have arisen to take Mlatho Farms and Agri-Learning Hub from strength to strength during this year.
“I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to sincerely thank you and to provide an update on the growth and impact of Mlatho Farms and Agri-Learning Hub following the USD 1,300 Permafund 24 support we received in 2024.
Since that support, our journey has accelerated significantly: In 2025, USD500 from the Aspire Leaders Program and USD5,000 has been received from the Tony Elumelu Foundation,strengthening our institutional capacity and confidence from global partners.
I’ve participated in the Young Leadership Incubation Program (YLIP) in South Africa under AHA International and SACAU, with three learning visits to Johannesburg, South Africa.
I attended the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) in Dakar, Senegal supported by AGRA.
I was invited to the World Food Forum (WGF) 2025 in Italy under the Pan African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) delegation in Italy, though I was unable to attend due to financial constraints.
In January 2026, I will be traveling to Germany to attend the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) and the Young Farmers Forum (YFF). I have already secured a visa and am fully sponsored by the Federal Government of Germany through the Ministry of Agriculture, joining 20 young farmers selected globally.
Beyond travel and leadership exposure, our work has gained strong visibility. This year alone, Mlatho Farms has been featured twice in national newspapers and several times on local and national radio and television, sharing our story of permaculture, youth empowerment, and climate resilience in Malawi.
I genuinely believe that these recognitions and opportunities were ignited by the Permafund 24 support.
You truly lit the candle that opened doors to networks, platforms and trust at a global level. Without that early belief, much of this progress would not have been possible.
As our organisation continues to grow, we are now better structured, more visible and increasingly capable of handling larger responsibilities and partnerships. Should there be future opportunities, collaborations, or advanced funding windows, we would be deeply honored to be considered.
Thank you once again for believing in grassroots permaculture initiatives from Africa. Your support is creating ripple effects far beyond what can be measured in numbers.”
Daniel Chibwe
Mlatho Farms and Agri-Learning Hub, Malawi
The Permafund grants program, with 103 creative community projects worldwide supported so far, has seen many examples of the multiplier effect of donations, where a small amount of seed funding for an environmental restoration and permaculture education project has produced a positive result in one grant location to then be replicated by others through the inter-community network and has encouraged professional development among community leaders.
Donations to support environmental projects and environmental organisations in Australia and overseas are tax deductible in Australia and can be made here.
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