Malawi - Stage 2
Discussion topic outcome
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. Promotion of diversified crop production and productivity with a business mind-set in the region through use of good agricultural practices such as soil fertility improvement programs, increased mechanization; 2. Government should provide balanced support to all foo
... Read mored crops and stop politicizing maize crop; 3. Ensuring stable and structured markets e.g. resuscitate ADMARC by reviewing its operations and injecting in capital; 4. Improving road network across the region; 5. Review school curriculum to address food consumption issues e.g. home economics; 6. Food fortification and improve processed food labelling; 7. Harmonization of programs/messages that go to farmers e.g. in most cases NGOs and Government go to communities with different/conflicting information (like incorporation of residues in gardens and others say don’t incorporate give to livestock); 8. Ensuring that systems of communication among actors in the food system are functioning; 9. Improving infrastructure and telecommunications with reduces costs – digital technology is key to transforming food systems in the country; and 10. Enhancing natural resource regeneration – plan new trees, regenerate natural forests. In terms of expectations of the food systems in the next 10 years, the participants at the dialogue identified the following areas: 1. Recruitment and capacity building of extension workers to facilitate implementation of food systems; 2. Enhancing cooperatives approach: a plan of 60% of producers to be members of cooperatives; 3. Implementation of catchment conservation management approach to curb environmental degradation and improve natural regeneration; 4. Increasing food diversification, food distribution, food processing and preservations through providing a conducive environment for the growth of secondary processing factories; 5. Investing in alternative energy sources e.g. subsidizing gas, this is extremely important if the country is going to curb the problem of natural resource degradation; and 6. Promoting value-added products in Malawian shops by Malawians; and 7. Consolidating farm lands in order to support farm mechanization at community level. Read less
Action Track(s): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Keywords: Data & Evidence, Environment and Climate, Finance, Governance, Human rights, Innovation, Policy, Trade-offs, Women & Youth Empowerment