Smiling Malawi children pose for The Chophouse crew.
When Ash and Matt from The Chophouse landed in Malawi on October 9th, 2024, they knew the upcoming days would be intense. After a day of rest, the team got to work filming the deep bed farming (DBF) training provided by Tiyeni to local farmers.
The Unexpected Turnout
On a typical day, around 20 farmers would attend the DBF training sessions in the villages. But the team found themselves facing over 200 farmers eager to learn. It was a staggering turnout and a reminder of just how essential Tiyeni’s work had become.
Tiyeni has already reached more than 30,000 farmers, the need to expand is clear… However, expanding this effort requires more funding to train additional communities.
“I was told in advance that we’d be training around 20 farmers. But on the first day, we were told to expect way more. I think word-of-mouth and some coordination by the Agriculture Minister led to the huge turnout. It meant bread rolls and carbonated sugar water for more than 200. About $45 U.S.” ~ Ash
Above: Loading the truck with Sugar water for farmers attending Tiyeni training.
A Cultural Challenge
Beyond the logistical surprises, the Chophouse team also had to navigate unique cultural differences that shaped the production.
In Malawi, it’s customary to lower your voice when speaking about someone with respect, such as a village leader or elder. The more respect someone is due, the quieter their voice becomes. Ash found himself working around whispers during important interviews—creating an interesting production challenge for capturing clear audio.
This cultural nuance reflects the deep respect Malawians have for their communities, and it was just one more way the team was reminded that Tiyeni’s work is more than a technical solution—it’s grounded in the trust and relationships they’ve built across villages.
Above Ash filming Deep Bed Training
One of the most powerful things about Tiyeni’s work is how they approach the villages they serve. Out of respect for local communities, Tiyeni doesn’t impose their training – they wait for an invitation.
Above: Prepping to interview Tiyeni’s Malawi Director, Isaac Monjo Chavula.
With this respectful approach, the demand for their training is enormous. Currently, there is a long waiting list of villages across Malawi, all asking for the life-changing knowledge Tiyeni brings with its deep bed farming techniques.
Tiyeni’s growing impact
Tiyeni has already reached more than 30,000 farmers, the need to expand is clear. The more villages they reach, the more they can help farmers transform hard, compacted soil into rich, fertile land capable of generating a food surplus. However, expanding this effort requires more funding to train additional staff and reach more communities.
Left: Prepping to interview Tiyeni’s Malawi Director, Isaac Monjo Chavula.
The Chophouses’s Contribution
Above: Ash giving Kantambo Longwe with the Malawi Agriculture Communications Branch, a GH5 4k camera to help them film more training.
In addition to documenting Tiyeni’s incredible work, The Chophouse donated a Panasonic GH5 camera to the Malawi government’s Agriculture Communications Bureau, ensuring that local teams can continue capturing footage for training and other regenerative agriculture initiatives.
Moving Forward
As the team now focuses on editing the footage and producing a new trailer.
The Chophouse is hoping to secure the rights to use the song “Waiting (SONDR Remix)” by Faith Mussa, a celebrated Malawian musician. His song’s emotional depth and lyrics, resonate deeply with the story of the farmers who are waiting for Tiyeni’s help to transform their lives.
The success of this documentary depends not only on the story we captured but on our ability to distribute it globally in film festivals. Currently, we have no budget for global distribution, we’re asking for help on our Indiegogo campaign to raise the funds needed.
More than Farming
This film is about more than just farming; it’s about restoring lives, rebuilding soil, and bringing sustainable agriculture to communities that need it most. We’re excited to share this journey and the incredible progress that’s being made.
Help us reach our goal
We’re asking for help to distrubute this film. Our goal is $20,000. This will help us finish the documentary, submit the film to festivals, and engage in paid marketing to drive awareness. Tiyeni’s goal is to eliminate food poverty in Malawi and then elsewhere. This documentary is their investment in promotion to raise funds for expansion. Help us end food poverty in Malawi with Deep Bed Farming.