Promoting Participation in Value Chains for Pulses in Malawi - Who and where to target
IFPRI Malawi Strategy Support Program Policy Note 40
By Todd Benson
November 2020
In this Policy Note, Todd Benson examines both household and spatial factors that may drive participation by smallholder farming households in commercial value chains for pulses, legume crops that are primarily harvested for their dry seed. Here the focus is on value chains for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). Bean and pigeonpea are particularly important secondary crops within many smallholder farming systems in Malawi, while cowpea is less common. All are commonly grown as intercrops in smallholder farming systems, primarily with maize.
After considering the agro-ecological suitability of different areas in Malawi for production of pulses, two sets of analyses are done using household level data from the fourth Malawi Integrated Household Survey (IHS4) of 2016/17. First, the study develops a four-category typology of Malawian households based on survey information on their economic engagement and level of crop sales. The propensity of households in each category to produce the three pulse crops, to sell any of their production, and, if they sold any, the share of production sold is then explored. The author then examines in a multivariate context drivers of household participation in pulse value chains.
These analyses are done to generate evidence on where and which farming households might grow pulses on a commercial basis across Malawi. Government and other agricultural stakeholders can use this information to identify and foster the participation of smallholders in pulse value chains either through direct support to households that are most likely to engage in the commercial production of one of these pulses or through targeted investments in the specific pulse value chain either upstream around input supply or downstream to improve and expand the marketing and processing of the crop.
Click here to download and read the policy note. (PDF 832 KB)
Please click here to read our IFPRI Malawi Policy Note 39: Promoting Participation in Oilseed Value Chains in Malawi, published in October 2020.
Featured image: Market scene in Malawi - Renata Kryzwon-Schramm/Welthungerhilfe
