In Malawi, a constantly changing climate poses a threat to the food, nutrition, and income security of smallholder farmers, taking away their smiles. Such farmers, who rely on agriculture entirely for their livelihoods constitute about 80 percent of the economically active population. Recurrent droughts and floods, declining soil fertility, desertification, and outbreak of pests and diseases are now more rampant.
Scientific models suggest these adverse climatic conditions will accelerate. Therefore, urgent intervention is needed.
Since December 2019, a consortium of 8 CGIAR centers with one European partner have been implementing EU funded DeSIRA research project (Development of Smart Innovation through Research Agriculture (DESIRA), working closely with Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS), DAES, LUANAR, FAO, and Self-Help Africa. The project seeks to address challenges in the smallholder agri-food system in Malawi by developing climate-smart, integrated technological options adapted to local conditions and the farmers’ realities. The goal of the project is to improve productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture and food systems in Malawi
In line with Malawi’s climate change adaptation strategy, DeSIRA project is focusing on the development of climate-resilient integrated technological innovations. This involves the development of diversified crop and livestock production systems, robust integrated pest, and disease management strategies to predict, monitor, and control existing and emerging biotic threats to agriculture; and improve post-harvest management technologies. The project is also conducting studies on enhancing the understanding of the opportunities and constraints for uptake of integrated technology options by farmers; and inform policy makers and scaling partners about the potential of integrated technological options to contribute to climate resilience and sustainability, and the enabling environment required for adoption.
To take stock of the activities implemented during the year, the CGIAR centers, led by CIP is organizing a review and planning workshop for all the stakeholders implementing the DeSIRA project. This review meeting will take place from 13th to 14th September 2022, at sunbird Capital hotel.
The main objective of the review meeting is to provide a forum for scientists and researchers under the DeSIRA project to present and discuss key research outputs from the project research activities undertaken during the year. The meeting will also provide a platform to share experiences, lessons learnt, challenges, deliberate on emerging issues and plan for the next season.
CGIAR centers and the European partner participating in the project include: International Potato Center (CIP), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, World Agroforestry Center, WorldFish Center and University of Liege, Belgium. The activities of the CGIAR centers are being coordinated by CIP
