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Programme Overview
The Sustainable Cotton for Women and Youth Empowerment (SCOWOYE) project was developed by We Effect and implemented by AICC Africa. It promotes decent work in Malawi's cotton sector with a focus on women and youth empowerment.
Despite significant challenges including COVID-19 and political instability, SCOWOYE delivered measurable impact — improving input and output market systems, influencing national cotton policy, and building a more resilient and inclusive cotton sector across four districts.
30,000+
Smallholder Farmers
13,550
Women Reached
7,580
Youth Reached
4
Districts
Objectives
- Promote decent work and labour rights in the cotton sector for women and youth
- Improve access to quality inputs and advisory services for cotton smallholder farmers
- Strengthen market linkages and fair pricing for cotton producers
- Advocate for gender-responsive cotton sector policies at national and district levels
- Build resilience of cotton farming households to shocks including climate and market volatility
Key Outcomes
- Reached 30,000+ smallholder cotton farmers across four districts
- 13,550 women and 7,580 youth directly empowered through the programme
- Improved input supply systems and agrodealer networks in target areas
- Contributed to national cotton policy reforms and advocacy wins
- Built women-led farmer groups with improved governance and market access