The AusAID/ACIAR/CIMMYT Risk Management Project develops resource-conserving farming methods in collaboration with smallholder farmers, combining use of crop simulation modeling and farmer participatory research (FPR). In 1999 research was undertaken in Chisepo and Songani, Malawi, to describe and understand the farmer’s environments through farmer stratification, soil classification, and diagnosis of cropping systems. Results revealed that institutional linkages play vital roles in farmers’ daily lives. Four classes of farmers (the richest, rich, poor, and the very poor) were identified based on wealth. Wealth was defined as having enough land, good housing, oxcarts, and some livestock. The most common soils in Chisepo are sandy soils, while sandy loam soils are most common in Songani. Agricultural crops grown on these soils in Songani include maize (the staple food), groundnuts, pigeon peas, cassava, sorghum, beans, and pumpkins, while tobacco and sweet potatoes are additional crops in Chisepo.