The 2014 Inaugural Economics Association of Malawi (ECAMA) Research Symposium was successfully held from October 8th-10th at Golden Peacock Hotel, Lilongwe. The Symposium which was organized in partnership with International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) in Malawi was funded by the European Union. Over 85 participants took part in the 3-day event that had 33 contributed papers presented, two pre-symposium events on key pertinent development issues (Warehouse Receipt Systems and Public Expenditures). The President of ECAMA, Mr. Henry Kachaje, gave the opening address, followed by a rousing keynote address by Professor Thandika Mkandawire of the London School of Economics, underlining, among other things, the importance of well-functioning institutions for economic transformation and multi-sectoral growth. A wide diversity of papers were presented in the conference sessions spanning the areas of agricultural technology adoption, climate change and environment, governance, agricultural growth and development, trade and industrial policy, education and labor markets, health and nutrition, monetary and fiscal policy, agriculture and natural resources, poverty measurement and financial sector. Three presenters received awards for the best contributed papers and were awarded prizes that included books from IPA and IFPRI. In addition the symposium had two expert panel sessions on “Growth, Economic Transformation and the Changing Role of Agriculture” and on “Impact Evaluation”.
To read the event program and download the presentations, click here.
