There are strong ties between Malawi and Scotland, largely as a result of David Livingstone's efforts more than 100 years ago to eliminate slavery - and subsequent work by the Church of Scotland in education and healthcare. As a result whereas in many places in Africa, cities and towns, streets and buildings had their names changed post independence, that is not the case here (or in Zambia) where the connection was with Livingstone.

Like farmers anywhere the annual cycle comes to a head when they learn whether they have sold the crop which they have worked so hard to produce - and at what price. That time is right now for Funwe Seed, because the rains will start shortly and local farmers are acquiring the seed they need for this season's planting. Seed is sold on a sale or return basis by agro dealers all over the country, so Funwe Seed, in competition with the other seed companies (Pannar,...

After loading up with 4500kg of seed at Mitongwe the owner of this Mercedes assured us that although it looked as though the back of his truck was broken (and the payload was clearly stated to be 2500kg) there was nothing wrong - it always looked like this. He staggered off with his load, but didn't quite make it off the farm because his load shifted on the bumpy farm access track. We came across him there as the sun was setting and insisted that he go back to t...

Jon and Carrie have more than 50 years experience in the aid sector in the third world between them, Jon in water supply and sanitation and Carrie in healthcare. Some years ago an opportunity arose to acquire a 730ha former tobacco farm which had been operated, unsuccessfully, by the Press Corporation - one of former President Banda's now defunct parastatal companies. Jon and Carrie decided to put their combined experience in development to work and took the plun...

The Chauncy Maples is "the oldest ship afloat in Africa", according to Wikipedia - an assertion clearly at odds (at least in part) with the photo I took today. What is corroborated by other sources though is that she was built in 1899 in Glasgow by Alley & McLellan, a firm who specialised in building vessels that were then dismantled into kit form to support "the far reaches of the British Empire". She was commissioned by the Universities Mission to Central ...