Sussana Teriza Phiri is a young farmer passionate about agriculture and scaling up food security. She has successfully grown maize, fresh spices, vegetables and soya beans.

Sussana relates the value she has for farming to the children she has encountered as a teacher. “Children who feed on nutritious food focus and learn better at school and also adapt themselves more efficiently to society,” she said.

She notes that her experiences of rampant pests, crop diseases, food insecurity as well as the rising effect of climate change are challenges that can be curbed if young and women farmers are well organized and equipped with knowledge and techniques from local scientific and agricultural research bodies.

Sussana has a bachelor’s degree in education from Chailmbana University.