With an already high (and fast growing) population, a high dependence on rain-fed agriculture, and high vulnerability to the effects of climate change, Malawi's food security status is at risk, especially if strategies to enhance food production under a changing climate are not prioritized. Irrigation offers a key solution to food insecurity in the face >> Read more
Discussion Paper 1653: Does Providing Agricultural and Nutrition Information to Both Men and Women Improve Household Food Security? Evidence from Malawi
August 3, 2017 by
Malawi is among the countries in Africa south of the Sahara where millions of smallholder farmers rely on agriculture to ensure their families’ livelihoods, yet low land productivity, inadequate agricultural inputs, labor limitations, and erratic rains translate into widespread food shortages, hunger, and poverty. Particularly in Malawi, poverty, food insecurity, and undernutrition remain significant problems >> Read more
Discussion Paper 1654: Limited Attention and Information Loss in the Lab-to-Farm Knowledge Chain: The Case of Malawian Agricultural Extension Programs
August 3, 2017 by
Agricultural extension plays a crucial role in promoting agricultural productivity, increasing food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agriculture as an engine of economic growth in developing countries. Yet, for agricultural knowledge to move from theory into practice, or from lab to field, extension services provide a critical linkage directly to farmers. In a new >> Read more
Learning before the next humanitarian crisis: A review of the 2016-17 Food Insecurity Response Program in Malawi
July 31, 2017 by
Devastation hits Malawi Unfortunately, 2015 and 2016 were not good years for Malawi or our neighboring countries. What started with late rains and some of the worst flooding in 2015, was immediately followed by severe drought in 2016. Agricultural production plummeted, leaving millions of residents hungry and vulnerable. This was especially devastating for one of >> Read more
Exploring a changing employment landscape: Implications for Malawi’s youth
July 19, 2017 by
Throughout this month, USAID Malawi is highlighting work that focuses on youth and population issues. As they look at how support from the U.S. and other partners have contributed to programs that help uplift youth in Malawi, we offer a peek at some interesting recent findings from IFPRI researchers on this topic. A forthcoming peer-reviewed >> Read more
Podcast highlights community-based nutrition pilot in Malawi
July 18, 2017 by
Nourishing Millions, an IFPRI-led project bringing together narratives of nutrition change, has released a new podcast episode highlighting a pilot initiative which leverages a community-based approach to tackle acute childhood malnutrition in Malawi. It is part of the Nourishing Millions podcast series, undertaken in partnership with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, which >> Read more
IFPRI project hosts training on journalism ethics in agriculture
June 30, 2017 by
[*Original blog post published on Feed the Future’s Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy website, written by Paida Mpaso, NAPAS: Malawi's communication specialist.] In an effort to improve the quality of journalism and reporting of agricultural issues in Malawi, the Ministry of Agriculture Irrigation and Water Development (MoAIWD) offered the latest in a series of >> Read more
Smallholder Farming Systems in the Digital Age: Smartphone App for Measuring Diets and Time-use in Zambia
June 27, 2017 by
Gendered time use has major implications for household well-being and agricultural productivity, In particular, gendered time use effects food security and nutrition, as women are largely responsible for feeding the family. The use of mechanized farm tools can decrease the amount of time required for production, allowing households to improve their agricultural yields through improved >> Read more
Farmer-led public discussion addresses maize marketing challenges
June 19, 2017 by
On 8th June 2017, the Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) hosted a panel discussion at the Malawi Institute of Management to debate the policy options for addressing challenges related to maize marketing and pricing in Malawi. The purpose of the panel discussion was to bring issues related to maize markets and pricing to the attention of the public, and to >> Read more
Reflections from a policy discussion on multi-sectoral action for improved nutrition
June 9, 2017 by
On 30th May 2017, IFPRI and Save the Children co-hosted a technical and policy discussion, bringing together nearly 100 development partners, including implementers, researchers, and donors, to discuss ways to better coordinate multisectoral efforts on development initiatives intended to have an impact on food security, diets, and nutrition. The event was intended as a platform >> Read more
