Transitioning Farming Systems for Resilience and Food Security in Malawi
CGIAR January 4 2025
A two-day Stakeholders’ Workshop on Sustainable Transitioning of Farming Systems, held on 12-13 December 2024 at the Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, brought together key agricultural stakeholders, researchers, policymakers, and development partners to explore solutions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of Malawi’s mixed farming systems.
Organized by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) under the CGIAR Initiative on Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems (SI-MFS), the event highlighted critical pathways for improving productivity, resilience, and food security in southern Africa's agricultural sector.
Malawi’s agriculture sector is a cornerstone of its economy, contributing nearly 25% of GDP and employing over 60% of the population. Despite significant investment, productivity remains well below potential, particularly within the mixed farming systems that rely heavily on maize production.
Factors such as climate change, erratic weather, and limited adoption of sustainable practices have compounded these challenges, leaving smallholder farmers vulnerable and hindering overall agricultural growth.
Dr Stanford Blade, Director General-Interim and Deputy Director General-Research at ICRISAT, emphasized the urgency of addressing these challenges.
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