More than half of all agricultural labour is done by women, and this is particularly true for subsistence production. For resource-poor women farmers, a context of hardship and poverty is exacerbated by social and institutional hierarchies that exclude women and that limit access to education and other resources. The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian has 121 rural congregations as well as schools and hospitals in the northern region. The primary goal of CCAP's Development Department is to work with the communities in northern Malawi towards cleaner water, greater food security and self-reliance. CCAP's Demonstration Farm at Ekwendeni was developed to be a place for learning, experimentation, and teaching.
Some income is generated from the sale of poultry, pork, vegetables and other crops.
The Field days in 1995 introduced more than 800 people to the work of the farm and department. Presently plans to move and expand farm operations are underway. Since 1982 Rose has been farming organically, participating in Canadian Organic Growers, and coming to these January Guelph conferences. Rose is also an ethics educator, and part-time instructor in Women's Studies at McMaster University. She lives and grows in Rockton, Ontario.