Explore Official Dialogue Feedback

3 Action Track # 3 Outcomes The opportunities identified under Action Track # 3 were as follows: 1. Availability of nature positive production interventions such as climate change mitigation and adaptation measures, soil improvement and watershed management e.g., MWASIP project sites like Chingale and Masaula, agroforestry and water harvesting technologies; 2. Availability of natural resources that can trigger nature positive production such as Lake Chilwa, Lake Malawi and Shire River and rich arable land; 3. Existence of locally available botanicals for pest and diseases controls; 4. Good tra... Read morensport system e.g. railway line to ferry produce to Blantyre for sell and good road network connecting Mangochi, Zomba, Blantyre and Lilongwe districts; 5. Favourable environment for livestock production and cotton production, mineral resources that provide alternative income sources; 6. Presence of a lot of food security stakeholders with a lot of resources and research expertise; 7. Availability of markets i.e., the population and presence of tourist attraction centres (lodges); 8. Availability of strategic grain reserves e.g. National Food Reserve Agency (NRFA) silos; and 9. Existence of community structures e.g. committees protecting natural resources e.g. Lake Chilwa. Enablers identified included the following: 1. Communities are committed to issues of development and sustainable management of resources; and 2. Government policies e.g. stringent policies to protect forests, availability of policies that promote sustainable agricultural production. Read less

2 Action Track # 2 Outcomes The opportunities identified towards shifting to sustainable consumption patterns were as follows: 1. Availability of stakeholders willing to finance development programs across the value chains; 2. Presence of local knowledge in food preservation and traditional nutritious foods such as Luni, Molinga, Amaranthus; 3. Availability of nutrition and health experts; 4. Availability of natural resources - water bodies e.g. Lake Chilwa, Lake Malawi, Shire River, National parks and other natural minerals (gold); and 5. Availability of land suitable for small stock (livesto... Read moreck) production. 6. Food aid. The enablers that can allow the country to advance sustainable consumption included: 1. Available policies and strategies; 2. Political will; 3. Good national security; 4. Good environment for livestock production; and 5. Local leadership. Read less

1 Action Track #1 Outcomes The opportunities for Action Track #1 to ensure safe and nutritious food for all were identified as follows: 1. The region is endowed with natural resources such as water bodies (Lakes Chilwa, Malawi and Malombe) and Shire River hence availability of fish, potential for irrigation; 2. Good road and rail network among the districts in the region, this provides an opportunity for improved transportation and logistics; 3. Migration and cross boarder markets leading to availability of goods being brought to the region; 4. Tourism activities in the region e.g. L. Malawi N... Read moreational Park, KuChawe, Liwonde National Park etc. for income and employment; 5. Low rainfall areas good for livestock production hence can promote diversification; 6. Availability of companies in the region e.g. fertilizer company, cement and lime companies in Machinga and Balaka districts; 7. Business opportunities - factories to process fish to ensure consistent supply and reduce food waste, and an opportunity for fish feed production; 8. Presence of government extension workers and organisations – government structures are there to support transformation; and 9. Availability of stakeholders-NGOs supporting food systems-provide food, inputs, irrigation facilities and livestock. The major enablers identified under Action Track # 1 were as follows: 1. Fisheries by-laws and community fisheries committees that help to control fishing, all what is needed is to enforce laws; and 2. Good road network and railway lines. The region is the hub of major transport systems in the country. Read less

Action Track #1: Ensuring safe and nutrition food for all Current challenges 1. Low crop productivity and limited dietary diversification; 2. High rates of unemployment resulting in more people migrating to neighbouring countries; 3. Covid-19 related challenges for example government directive restricting meetings has affected tourism businesses; 4. Unorganised and unstable food markets thereby affecting availability of food in both time and space; and 5. Poor sanitation and hygiene among the people and poor health-seeking practices. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Limited knowledge and use... Read more of appropriate practices on crop and diet diversification; 2. Fish production has gone down due to overharvesting, overpopulation, overfishing; 3. Limited income generating activities and high unemployment levels; 4. The region practices matrilineal system of marriage hence men normally are not willing to invest where they marry; and 5. Environmental degradation - and wanton cutting down of trees in Machinga and Balaka districts for charcoal burning and in Zomba for timber. Action Track #2: Shifting to sustainable consumption patterns Current Challenges 1. Inadequate incomes, knowledge and skills affecting food budgeting, food preparation, food processing and preservation hence consumption of unbalanced diet; 2. High postharvest losses and food wastage due to some extent, wasteful cultural and religious practices, poor storage capacity and facilities; 3. Low funding in nutrition sector affecting implementation of relevant programmes and strategies; 4. No reliable cash crops thus the majority of the population resort to selling food crops hence affecting long-term food and nutrition security; and 5. Food aid is more prevalent in the region, hence people deliberately sale their harvest or produce because they know that the Government will provide relief aid for their survival. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Cultural values, beliefs and practices fuelling wastage, for example, during cultural ceremonies and traditions; 2. Increased population impacting on production – there is high land pressure which affects both levels of investment on that land as well as forcing people to encroach onto marginal lands; 3. Poor road network – this contributes to reduced availability of and access to nutritious and safe foods; and 4. Negative perception towards local nutritious foods, with improvement in levels of income-most people switch to ultra-processed and imported foods at the expense of highly nutritious local foods. Action Track #3: Boosting nature-positive food production Current challenges 1. Pests and diseases for crops e.g. fall army worms affected the region (24,437 ha affected out of 59,676 ha in all the EPAs); 2. Frequent natural disasters e.g. dry spells, floods etc.; 3. Inadequate agricultural diversification, the region is more suitable to production of livestock due to climatic and environmental factors. 4. Increased cases of malnutrition due to inadequate intake of animal proteins, legumes and oils (at 30% access currently); and 5. Soil loss and land degradation due to deforestation for charcoal production and opening new farm land. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Unfavourable weather conditions and low arable land holding sizes; 2. Low adoption of improved production technologies; a. Poor access to extension services resulting from: poor quality extension service delivery; and b. Conflicting extension approaches to issues for example livestock vs land resources. 3. Mind-set and perception, that is, fishing culture along the lake which the fisher folks are preoccupied with and not attending to other livelihood options; and 4. High dependency on rain fed agriculture. Action Track # 4 Advancing equitable livelihoods of people involved in food systems Current Challenges 1. Market failures affecting household incomes; 2. High levels of unemployment; 3. Youth related challenges which have forced most young people migrating to South Africa for greener pastures; 4. Natural resource degradation – deforestation, poor farming practices, population pressure etc.; 5. Low utilization of existing infrastructures like marketing facilities built by the State marketer across the country including the region; and 6. Gender inequalities. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Cultural practices and beliefs and gender inequalities; 2. Climate change that result into unpredictable rainfall patterns, floods and droughts; 3. High input prices especially fertilizers leading to low production; 4. Lack of technical expertise in crop standards and qualities, especially cash crops – extension system failure; and 5. Inappropriate use of chemicals and marketing standards – lack of know-how. Action Track # 5 Building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses Current challenges 1. Climate change related shocks such as disturbed rain patterns and increase in natural disasters e.g., Cyclone Idai; 2. Diminishing biodiversity (species of plants and fishes) e.g., fish species in Lake Malawi; 3. Increased poverty levels; and 4. Negative coping strategies to shocks and stresses, e.g., child marriages. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. High poverty levels; 2. Lack of cleaner and sustainable renewable alternative energy sources; e.g., Gas, electricity, solar; 3. Unreliable markets – high input prices, low commodity prices; 4. Climate change leading to increased dry spells, flooding, pests and diseases; and 5. Poor market systems and lack of structured markets e.g. dysfunctional nature of ADMARC. Read less

The regional dialogue was held under the theme “Building healthier, sustainable and equitable food systems for a better Malawi”. The objective of the dialogue was to share information on the UNFSS and reflect on the status of Malawi’s food systems, identify challenges and constraints, potentials and opportunities, and game-changing solutions and ideas for its transformation, including defined roles and responsibilities from local voices at the regional level. Based on the guidelines, the dialogues were organized around the five action tracks of the Food Systems Summit: • Action Track 1... Read more – “Ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all” – participants examined whether all Malawians currently have access to safe and nutritious food. If not, what is it that makes it difficult for Malawians to access safe and nutritious food? • Action Track 2 – “Shifting to sustainable consumption patterns” – dialogue participants had conversations about what were the key issues affecting healthy and sustainable food consumption in Malawi. • Action Track 3 – “Boosting nature-positive production at scale” – participants examined how Malawi’s food production systems can be transformed to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security for the people. • Action Track 4 – “Advancing equitable livelihoods”– dialogue explored inequalities within the Malawian food systems. • Action Track 5 – “Building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stresses” – participants examined actions to ensure the resilience of the Malawian Food System. The representative of the Convenor also emphasized the need to analyse the food systems issues in consideration of existing national policies and strategies including the national aspirations as enshrined in the Malawi 2063 Vision. Read less

The subsidy Agricultural Input Program (AIP) was a contentious issue with some thinking that it is a necessary evil that meets the nations’ food self-sufficiency goal. For example, the current season has produced surplus maize compared to the average of the last five years. Other members felt that AIP as a social protection instrument has outlived its life span and the nation needs to graduate from it despite all the positive restructuring it has gone through over the years. Still others noted that the subsidy program is good and it needs to diversify beyond focusing on maize to other crops ... Read moresuch as legumes and livestock so that it contributes fully to Action Track #1 in providing safer and healthy foods. Other views bordered on its net negative effect on the agricultural sector budget vote since other critical services such as research and extension suffer low allocations though the overall agricultural budget is able to meet the Malabo target of 10% of the national budget. The other issue that came out in the Central region dialogue was the need to embrace indigenous food varieties and not only focus on the so-called modern/improved varieties. The promoters of the indigenous food varieties noted that such foods have high nutrition status and are resilient to climate change whilst those championing improved varieties were considering mostly on the high yielding and resilience of other varieties such as drought resistant varieties of maize. The issue of conflicting messages came out very strongly in the Central Region that resulted in delegates recommending the urgent need to harmonize messages that go to farmers. It was noted that in most cases NGOs and Government go to communities with different/conflicting information like incorporation of residues in gardens and yet others say don’t incorporate them but give them to livestock. The need for sustainable production systems such as agro-ecology and permaculture was discussed versus the conventional farming systems approach. It was noted that the current food production system is at the breaking point. It was noted that conventional farming yields large amounts of products for our use. However, it uses resources faster than they can recover and that if we continue this way, at some point we will have to face the moment when our lands will fail to produce enough food. Therefore, it was concluded that there is a need to strike the balance as both approaches are promoted to avoid confusing the farmers. Read less

8. Cross cutting outcomes: Productive partnerships The regional dialogue also explored on how stakeholders can work together for collective action and forge powerful partnerships towards transformation of food systems. The participants noted that currently, the region has several partners working in the food systems including NGOs both local and international, faith-based organizations, farmer-based organizations including cooperatives, government departments, private sector players and other food industry players but they rarely work together let alone share lessons and best practices. This w... Read moreas linked to lack of proper coordination at regional and district level including between and among ministries, departments and agencies of the government despite existing structures in the decentralized system of governance. The participants noted that the opportunities, enablers and recommendations to transform food systems are multi-sectoral in nature, hence deliberate efforts need to be put in place for a coordinated approach at the regional and district level to ensure location-specific coordinated actions. Some noted that in most cases, some sectors leave it to the Ministry of Agriculture to handle all issues surrounding food systems while other ministries such as those responsible for nutrition, environment and climate change, infrastructure development, energy and trade just but to mention a few are at the core of an efficient food system. The participants explored and suggested mechanisms that will allow stakeholders to work together for a collective action and forge powerful partnerships as follows: 1. Ensure functioning and use of existing structures to support food systems: a. Establish a food systems structure/coordinating committee at district and community levels; b. Integrate sectoral groups such as nutrition care groups, farmer field schools into the food systems approach; c. Ensure greater involvement of private sector in the food systems approach at all levels; d. Ensure that all non-state actors work collaboratively with government structures when working in an area; 2. Stakeholder multi sectoral joint resource mobilization, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning including sharing information and networking; and 3. Ensure transparency and accountability of stakeholders, so that progress is tracked by all. Read less

7 Actions: Changes to be made within 3 and 10 years This section provides action areas that have to be considered in the short term (3 years) and medium term (10 years) based on the identified game changing priorities. The participants recommended that in the first 3 years, the region and the nation should focus on the following actions: 1. Revamp extension services through recruitment of more extension workers and harmonization/standardization of messages; 2. Enhance resilience of communities to respond to shocks/stress before outside help is sought; 3. Increase food production and productivi... Read morety through promotion of climate smart and appropriate technologies across the whole value chain such as soil fertility improvement practices; 4. Government should provide balanced support in all food crops e.g. through the AIP; 5. Resuscitate ADMARC to facilitate both input and output markets for small scale farmers; 6. Improve road network; 7. Government should stop politicizing maize crop; 8. Revise school curriculum to address food consumption issues e.g. nutrition education and home economics; 9. Prioritize value addition through establishment of local industries with deliberate investments in food processing machinery, food fortification and labelling; and 10. Review certification procedures by Malawi Bureau of standards and ensure enforcement of the same to ensure consumption of safe foods. In terms of expectations of the food systems in the next 10 years, the participants at the dialogue identified the following areas: 1. Ensure policy coordination, coherence and enforcement of regulations towards transformation of food systems; 2. Enhance collaboration and coordination of stakeholders, investments and programs at all levels and across all sectors involved in the food systems; 3. Increase sustainable productivity of foods including aquaculture development by ensuring that farmers are following sustainable good agricultural practices that support/enhance a balanced ecosystem. Government should also consider graduation from the subsidy input program; 4. Exploit the youth demographic dividend by economically empowering youth and building their technical and entrepreneurial skills and rebranding agriculture to make it attractive to them; 5. Enhance climate change adaptation and mitigation measures through investing in early warning system and climate information systems, use of alternative energy sources such as briquettes, chitetezo mbaula, gas, promoting permaculture/ agro ecology and watershed Catchment management practices; 6. Invest in commercial oriented agriculture through large scale, solar powered Irrigation farming e.g. starting from 3,000 hectares; 7. Speed up the industrialization drive i.e. agro-processing and mechanization to allow for import substitution and benefit from regional and international trade opportunities. This includes re-establishment of abandoned factories such as the cotton ginning factories; 8. Put in place gender transformative initiatives across the value chains to ensure equitable benefits and participation among all gender groups; 9. Make markets work for the poor through revitalization of ADMARC and introduction of structured markets including enforcement of minimum prices; and 10. Institutionalization of food systems approach in district councils. Read less

6. Game Changing Priorities The dialogue session identified the game changing priorities across all the five action tracks as follows: 1. Make markets work for the poor through the restructuring of ADMARC and promotion of structured markets; 2. Invest in mechanization and processing equipment to spur agricultural productivity, value addition and agro-processing; 3. Improve transport infrastructure i.e. road networks in rural areas, railway and water transport systems; 4. Promote use of alternative energy sources to boost agriculture operations including agro-processing and value addition; 5. P... Read moreromote climate change adaptation and mitigation measures such as watershed catchment management practices, disaster preparedness etc.; and 6. Increase production and productivity of various crops, livestock and fisheries throughout the year e.g. by promoting of irrigation farming (vibrant mega and anchor farms), agro-ecological practices etc. Read less

5 Action Track # 5 Outcomes The opportunities under Action Track # 5 were as follows: 1. Availability of disaster preparedness and adaptation measures such as construction of water dyke, early warning systems; 2. Availability of community structures to respond to shocks and stresses such as extension workers, village civil protection committees etc.; and 3. Availability of drought tolerant and early maturing varieties. The enablers under Action Track # 5 were as follows: 1. Availability of Disaster Management and resilience building policies and strategies; and 2. Fisheries guidelines on close... Read mored fishing seasons. Read less

4 Action Track # 4 Outcomes The opportunities that were identified under Action Track # 4 included the following: 1. Availability of stakeholders and technical capacity to support implementation food systems programmes; 2. Availability of programmes which have mainstreamed issues of Gender E.g. Cash transfer programs, adult literacy training; 3. Availability of safety net programmes to support livelihoods for vulnerable households e.g. subsidy input programme; and 4. Existence of Farmer based organizations such as cooperatives and associations. Enablers that can support the attainment of the o... Read morepportunities included: 1. Existence of policies to guide food systems transformation e.g. National agricultural policy; 2. Existence of agribusiness programmes to assist farmers to increase incomes e.g. Agricultural commercialization (AGCOM) project; 3. Existence of decentralized development structures up to the community level e.g. Community development workers, women and youth clubs, community based organizations (CBOs) and associations; and 4. Existence of by-laws and district development plans. Read less

3 Action Track # 3 Outcomes The opportunities identified under Action Track # 3 were as follows: 1. Availability of waste which can be used for manure making to support agriculture production; 2. Alternative sources of energy e.g. solar; 3. Availability of natural resources such as water bodies such as Lake Malawi, rivers, Chia lagoon and parks and wildlife reserves e.g. Kuti Wildlife Reserve, Thuma Forest Reserve and Nkhotakota Game Reserve; 4. Availability of agricultural technologies e.g. drought tolerant crops; and 5. Availability of natural resources management initiatives such as tree pl... Read moreanting, water harvesting etc. Enablers identified included the following: 1. Existence of conducive policies such as climate change policies, strategies and commitment by the government e.g. National adaptation plans, National resilience strategy; 2. Availability of environmental related guidelines such as climate smart agriculture guidelines, catchment and watershed management guidelines; 3. Fishing bylaws e.g. closed season regulations; and 4. The new land policy promoting improved tenure security and sustainable land management. Read less

Action Track # 2 Outcomes The opportunities identified towards shifting to sustainable consumption patterns were as follows: 1. Fertile soils for production of various crops in central region; 2. Availability of water sources and land to steer irrigation e.g. in Salima and Nkhotakota districts have the Lake Malawi and major rivers; 3. Availability of cultivatable land and fertile soils in central region; 4. Availability of development partners who complement government efforts; 5. Availability of infrastructure i.e. railway line (Salima, Dedza districts), road network, water bodies (Salima); a... Read morend 6. Diverse ecology in the region that necessitates the growing of different crops i.e. maize, rice, horticulture in order to enhance diet diversification The enablers that can allow the region to advance sustainable consumption included: 1. The presence of the Green Belt Initiative to spur increased crop production and diversification; 2. The Buy Malawi campaign advocating for consumption of home-grown local foods; 3. Availability of government agencies e.g. Department of Environment Affairs, Malawi Bureau of Standards and the Pesticides Control Board etc. to ensure food safety and standards; 4. Availability of conducive policy environment and by laws in different sectors to transform food systems e.g. Nutrition policies and strategies, extension and advisory services policies, fisheries policy; and 5. Availability of community radios that support nutrition education. Read less

1 Action Track #1 Outcomes The opportunities for Action Track #1 to ensure safe and nutritious food for all were identified as follows: 1. Availability of arable land, abundant water and favourable conditions for some districts favourable for production of diversified crops during the winter season and for irrigation purposes; 2. Existence of subsidy programs that increase access to inputs; and 3. Existence of different district and community structures across all sectors e.g. agriculture, forestry, nutrition, community development etc. The major enablers identified under Action Track # 1 were... Read more as follows: 1. Available Policies guiding agriculture activities, nutrition and gender; and 2. Availability of Community radios to facilitate access to information. Read less

The main findings of the Central Region dialogue have been summarized under the 5 action tracks focusing on the current challenges and the drivers (causes) as follows: Action Track #1: Ensuring safe and nutrition food for all Current challenges 1. Limited and undiversified food production due to land shortage; 2. high levels of poverty; 3. Climate change related challenges such as floods and droughts/dry spells; 4. Elephants (Thuma forest) destroying crops both at field and home of villagers around the forest; and 5. Deforestation. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. High poverty levels in the ... Read moreregion; 2. Limited off-farm sources and opportunities for income generation to support access to food; 3. Increased numbers of women headed households – increasing levels of vulnerability; 4. Limited access to markets for both inputs and outputs including limited market information and lack of enforcement of minimum set prices; 5. Lack of agricultural industrialization to drive processing and value addition e.g. lack of machines for processing; 6. Land shortage; 7. Gender inequality; 8. Poor extension services resulting in poor adoption of good agricultural practices. Negative cultural practices affecting farming practices; and 9. Overpopulation leading to land shortage and deforestation including low water supply downstream due to poor catchment preservation. Action Track #2: Shifting to sustainable consumption patterns Current Challenges 1. High rates of malnutrition and other diseases like HIV/AIDS; 2. Child labour, school dropout, early marriage resulting; 3. Unbalanced diet due to poor food budgeting, low yields and unavailability of foods in other areas/ seasons; 4. Food wastage; 5. Population growth and extended families; and 6. Low household income. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Lack of knowledge dietary diversification, food preparation of balanced diet, technologies for processing of food stuffs, food budgeting, post-harvest handling; 2. Poor policies that do not encourage diversification i.e. subsidy programs promoting only maize food system; 3. Lack of ownership of available natural resources i.e. fisheries or forests; 4. Poor road network, leading to poor distribution of food from high production areas to low production areas (Dedza vs Nkhotakota in terms of horticultural crops); 5. High illiteracy levels; 6. Cultural beliefs and practices affecting consumption of food and food wastage; 7. High food prices; 8. Unavailability of indigenous foods i.e. fruits; and 9. Unreliable markets. Action Track #3: Boosting nature-positive food production Current challenges 1. Land degradation; 2. Increased climate change induced natural disasters resulting in unreliable rainfall patterns, floods, dry spells and pest and diseases infestations; 3. Limited production resources resulting in conflicting uses (e.g. land for wildlife and land for crops, crop residues for mulching and crop residues for feeding livestock) competing priorities between livestock production, wildlife and crops; 4. Reduced water levels in the lake and drying up of perennial rivers thereby affecting fish species and irrigation farming; and 5. Decrease of fish species. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Deforestation, unsustainable farming practices (excessive use of chemicals in farms, mono-cropping, cultivating along riverbanks, charcoal burning; 2. Siltation and poor water shed management; and 3. Unsustainable fishing practices e.g. overfishing, fishing using chemicals, illegal fishing gear. Action Track # 4 Advancing equitable livelihoods of people involved in food systems Current Challenges 1. Unequal distribution of resources leading to poverty; 2. Gender imbalances in the food system livelihoods; 3. Cultural beliefs and values; 4. Poverty; and 5. Weak market arrangements. Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Gender inequalities e.g. men dominate most food & economic decision making, asset ownership bias towards men, women and children are exposed to risks e.g. sex for fish, and food practices that favour men over women and kids e.g. meat for men only; 2. Natural disasters e.g. dry spells; 3. Low access to inputs; 4. Land degradation; 5. Lack of market structures of most of food crops 6. Weak farmer organizations that lead to inadequate agribusiness skills and collective marketing; and 7. Poor road network. Action Track # 5 Building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses Current challenges 1. Negative coping mechanisms i.e. cutting down trees for charcoal, selling productive assets like dairy cattle, prostitution, migration to urban areas; 2. Climate change related natural disasters e.g. floods, drought; and 3. Dwindling fish supply Drivers (Causes and Activities) 1. Deforestation; 2. Unequal access to production assets i.e. woman to access land and loans; 3. Unregulated fishing leading to overfishing; and 4. Human over-population affecting fish demand and other natural resources. Read less

The regional dialogue was held under the theme “Building healthier, sustainable and equitable food systems for a better Malawi”. The objective of the dialogue was to allow regional and district stakeholders to reflect and analyse the status of food systems in their locality, identifying challenges and constraints, potentials and opportunities, and game-changing solutions and ideas for its transformation, including defined roles and responsibilities at the regional level The dialogue covered all areas of the food systems around the five Action Tracks of the Food Systems Summit Dialogues: �... Read more� Action Track 1 – “Ensuring access to safe and nutritious food for all” – participants examined whether all Malawian’s currently have access to safe and nutritious food. If not, what is it that makes it difficult for Malawians to access safe and nutritious food? • Action Track 2 – “Shifting to sustainable consumption patterns” – dialogue participants had conversations about what the key issues affecting healthy and sustainable food consumption were in Malawi. • Action Track 3 – “Boosting nature-positive production at scale” – Participants examined how Malawi’s food production systems can be transformed to ensure sustainable food and nutrition security for the people. • Action Track 4 – “Advancing equitable livelihoods”– participants explored inequalities within the Malawian food systems. • Action Track 5 – “Building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stresses” – examined actions to ensure the resilience of the Malawian Food System. Emphasis was made to ensure linkages with national aspirations enshrined in the Malawi 2063 Vision as well as provisions of existing policies and strategies. The dialogue process was underpinned with clear principles such as (i) ensuring that sustainable healthy diets for all is the basic vision, (ii) consideration of food system transformation as the long-term process, (iii) taking a systems approach to this challenge, (iv) adopting an iterative approach, considering national governments as the lead in all matters of governance, (v) taking a supportive and co-creative rather than prescriptive approach, (vi) building on existing structures when feasible, (vii) creating new ones only when necessary, (viii) embracing both evidence and innovation, (ix) proactively addressing frictions related to facts, interests, and values, (x) and approaching the challenge with an attitude of learning, humility, and optimism. Read less

Increased use of pesticides vs pollution: The issue came out based on the understanding that there has been increased use of pesticides due to the infestation of Fall Armyworm and increased cultivation of horticultural crops in the Southern Region. Even as much as it is important to ensure high productivity of the crops, other participants noted that this puts lives at risk if those pesticides are not handled and used properly. For instance, the withdrawal times on vegetables are not adhered to thereby leading to unsafe consumption of foods and pollution in general. Handouts in form of relief ... Read moreitems vs empowerment: The issue of handouts as a social protection measure came out strongly in the Southern Region because of the frequent occurrence of natural disasters. It was noted that communities are used to getting relief items. For instance, there are communities in Chikwawa district that are affected by floods every year and these communities are not willing to relocate to other areas. This has become a political issue as well. Additionally, the dialogue felt that these relief items will, in the long run, increase dependence on government as communities are not willing to be innovative and empowered to graduate from such relief programs. Conflicting extension messages: Technical misguidance and conflicting extension messages i.e. one crop per piece of land against the message of crop diversification. This was noted as an issue that happens especially amongst NGOs and at times between different sectoral ministries where different guidelines or messages are given to farmers thereby rendering them confused. Indigenous foods vs improved varieties: The is need to embrace and consume indigenous food varieties as a major source of nutritious foods and not only focus on the so-called modern/improved varieties came out in the Southern Region dialogues. The promoters of the indigenous food varieties noted that such foods have high nutrition status and are resilient to climate change whilst those championing improved varieties were considering mostly the high yielding and resilient varieties such as drought resistant varieties of maize. Read less

8. Cross cutting outcomes: Productive partnerships The regional dialogue also explored how stakeholders can work well together for collective action and forge powerful partnerships towards transformations of food systems. The participants noted that currently, the region has several partners working in the food systems including NGOs both local and international, faith-based organizations, farmer-based organizations including cooperatives, government departments, private sector players and other food industry players but they rarely work together let alone share lessons and best practices. Thi... Read mores was linked to lack of proper coordination at regional and district level including between and among ministries, departments and agencies of the government despite existing structures in the decentralized system of governance. The participants noted that the opportunities, enablers and recommendations to transform food systems are multi-sectoral in nature hence deliberate efforts need to be put in place for a coordinated approach at the regional and district level to ensure location-specific coordinated actions. Some noted that in most cases, other sectors leave just the Ministry of Agriculture to handle all issues surrounding food systems when other ministries such as those responsible for nutrition, environment and climate change, infrastructure development, energy and trade just but to mention a few are at the core of an efficient food system. As such the participants explored and suggested mechanisms that will allow stakeholders to work together for a collective action and forge powerful partnerships as follows: 1. Strengthen networking platforms for all actors in different sectors to enhance collaboration and partnership; 2. Utilize existing research facilities such as Bvumbwe Research Station in Thyolo district in collaboration with extension services to disseminate new crop varieties and animal breeds; 3. Leverage Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to foster dissemination and sharing information among food systems actors. Strengthen information sharing among stakeholders e.g. a database as a repository is supposed to be developed that all stakeholders can use; 4. Enhance implementation of key outputs of forums on similar thematic areas to ensure that there are actions and accountability systems in place on the game changers agreed upon such as: a. Engaging with various stakeholders/experts including local authorities to take dialogues outcomes as part of the district plans; and b. Institutionalizing food systems e.g. a task force at decentralized structures has to be established, which is multi-sectoral in nature and include private sector stakeholders to continue the dialogues post UNFSS in September 2021. Read less

7 Cross cutting outcomes: Changes to be made within 3 and 10 years This section provides areas that have to be considered in the short term (3 years) and medium term (10 years) based on the regional dialogues. The participants recommended that in the first 3 years, the region and the nation should focus on the following actions: 1. Empower local leaders on land tribunal issues especially in Thyolo and Mulanje districts; 2. Finalize the national Food Safety Policy; 3. Phase out handouts and train people to be independent; 4. Promote improved, climate smart technologies and mechanization to enha... Read morence productivity and reduction of post-harvest losses; 5. Enforcement of existing policies that can trigger food systems transformation; 6. Promote family planning to reduce overpopulation and land pressure; 7. Enhance research in food systems; 8. Increase the minimum wage; 9. Government should exempt taxes on essentials e.g. milk, salt, sugar etc.; and 10. Youth empowerment: soft loans for the youth enterprises, internships, youth innovation awards, coaching and mentoring. In terms of expectations of the food systems in the next 10 years, the participants at the dialogue identified the following areas: 1. Include nutrition education in primary school curriculum; 2. Introduce new investments in the agricultural sector and agro processing industry e.g. loans for final food processing, soft loans for agricultural initiatives. Invest in large scale irrigation schemes and ensure that they are functional with private sector and community collaboration; 3. Enhance social behaviour change to address issues related to nutrition i.e. encourage consumption of certain types of food (crabs, mice); 4. Invest in livestock and aquaculture development including raring of non-convention animals i.e. rabbits, quails, guinea pigs; 5. Increase use of bio-fortified varieties and breeds; 6. Incentivising workers at grass roots levels from different sectors. i.e. rural electricity, housing, portable water, road infrastructure and reliable networks; 7. Promote public private partnerships to accelerate transformation of food systems; 8. Promote alternative non-farm income sources and empowerment of youth with start-ups and private sector involvement; 9. Provision of incentives to farmers to adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) that are environmentally friendly; and 10. Ensure market systems and structures that work for farmers including reviving ADMARC, institute market innovation centres, among others Read less

6. Crosscutting Game Changing Priorities The Southern region dialogue session combined the game changing priorities across all the five action tracks as follows: 1. Enhance food quality transformation and standards o Enhancing regulatory services and capacity in key ministries such as Ministries of Health, agriculture and trade, district councils, community structures, institutions such as the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS); o Increasing collaboration of different stakeholders (to ameliorate overlap of roles among different regulators), including consumers; o Develop a National Food Safety p... Read moreolicy to address all the food safety issues identified; o Recruiting more officers to strengthen food inspectorate services; o Overcoming corruption by regulatory service providers; o Sensitisation of food producers and consumers on food safety and nutrition e.g. introduction of nutrition education at primary school level; and o Adoption of nutrition labelling as a mandatory requirement. 2. Increasing agricultural productivity across all value chains o Develop a legal framework (legislation) for District Agricultural Extension Services System (DAESS) structures to ensure adherence to food safety and other related food system issues; o Construction of mega irrigation schemes tapping on abundant water bodies and perennial rivers; o Intensive nutrition education targeting communities through community radio, frontline workers and non-conventional platforms for promotion of diversified diets; o Re-introduce dip tanks and veterinary services in rural areas; o Provide conduce working environment for extension workers by providing vehicles, good housing etc.; o Promoting innovative extension approaches on food budgeting and good agriculture practices; and o Extending the subsidy program to winter or wetland cropping. 3. Enhance value addition and processing o Promotion of small-scale food processing companies for milk, pineapples (fruit juices) avocado pears (oil), tomato, sweet potatoes, Pigeon peas (dhal); o Improve dry and cold production and marketing infrastructure to improve storage and processing; and o Support value addition and processing facilities managed by cooperatives. 4. Improve market systems and structures o Introduce structured markets and promote contract farming; o Enhance business knowledge and access to market information; o Introduce supply chain financing mechanism to mitigate shocks; and o Revitalize ADMARC so that they facilitate structured markets for both inputs and crop produce. 5. Mind-set Change o Culture - full recognition of local leadership e.g. chiefs to influence mind set change via awareness & enforcement; o End corruption; o Diversification of food production and consumption; and o Promote family planning. 6. Promote alternative sources of energy o Rural electrification program; and o Access to solar and wind power. Read less