agrl_innovations_in_ssa.pdf?utm_content=buffercb41d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

commitments. The high price of inputs and low market prices are still of concern. Hence,
IP focus is shifting to producing crops for which there are ready markets
IP activities are proving to be a useful model for the implementation of ASWAp at
district level while simultaneously IP activities are making an important contribution to
the District Councils’ development plans in which food security, income diversification
and improved NRM are high priorities.
Initial context. Malawi, with a population close to 13 million people, has a life expectancy
at birth of 38 years with an estimated 29 percent of the population being undernourished
and a high incidence of stunting in children (FAOSTAT, 2011) unreliable rainfall and declining
soil fertility resulting in low and declining productivity. At the same time rising population has
resulted in decreasing farm size with fields cropped continuously. Most farmers are reliant
on rainfed agriculture with maize the overwhelmingly dominant crop, although many farmers
also grow a cash crop. Recognising the critical importance of agriculture as the cornerstone
of sustained growth and poverty reduction, the Malawi Government was one of the first
African countries to design and implement an ASWAp that was undertaken through a CAADP
compact agreement. The ASWAp provided for decentralisation of priority setting, planning and
implementation to individual District Councils.
Challenges. Until recently farmers had limited access to improved seed and fertiliser and marketing
surpluses was a problem. Challenges included: improving access to quality seed, building the
capacity of farmers to produce as a business opportunity and linking farmers with markets
Innovation triggers. As part of its national programme, Government, through its Farm Input
Subsidy Programme, has assisted targeted households with subsidised inputs to boost food
security. To support this programme FARA’s SSA CP ZMM PLS initiated activities in ways
consistent with the aims of Malawi’s ASWAp; establishing three IPs in southern Malawi, one
in Balaka District and two in Zomba District. Each IP acted in support of the respective District
Councils’ own priorities for development in their respective areas. These form part of FARA’s
SSA CP PLS in southern Africa, which includes nine IPs, three in Malawi, three in Mozambique
and three in Zimbabwe. This case study concerns the three in Malawi. Overall coordination
across has been provided by CIAT for CA, CIMMYT for integrated soil fertility management and
Bioversity International for vegetable production.
Stakeholder interactions and interventions. Each IP brought together a range of stakeholders
including farmers, researchers, District Government and NGOs, traditional leaders, local
policymakers as well as the private sector involved in input supplies and output marketing.
Each IP operated at both district and community levels, establishing learning sites in five
communities within their respective areas focusing on:
• Improving crop yields using CA techniques in Balaka with coordination provided by CIAT
• Improving maize and legume yields by using improved seed and fertiliser and introducing
legumes in rotation with maize in Zomba with coordination provided by the University of
Malawi’s Bunda College (Kabuli and Kazombo, 2009 and Kabambe et al., 2010)
The case studies: Southern Africa 57