Farmer-managed seed systems and the conservation of agrobiodiversity are increasingly recognized as important components of food and seed sovereignty. In contrast, hybrid, genetically modified (GM), and, increasingly, gene-edited crops continue to be promoted by Green Revolution proponents as a “climate smart” package that includes fertilizers, pesticides, purchased seeds, and links...

This document sheds light on the ongoing efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa to develop National Agroecology Strategies (NASs), aiming to transform agri-food systems through the promotion of agroecological production practices, and the development of markets, value chains, and consumer demand. The brief offers an unique insight into policy advancements...

The publication offers a rich diversity of perspectives and insights from real-life experiences of 42 inspiring teams of youths in Africa and India who are blazing a trail as private extension and advisory service providers promoting agroecology through farmer-to-farmer learning videos. Each of the deeply compelling stories presented in this...

Starting from the observation that value chain research has informed much of agricultural development interventions in recent decades, this paper identifies five key challenges to current agricultural development policies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs): access to finance, infrastructure, land tenure, local linkages and knowledge transfer. Based on this review,...

Even before the EU Farm to Fork Strategy launched in 2020, the EU took action to make food systems more resilient to shocks. But did the EU’s ambitions bear fruit? Cecilia D'Alessandro and Paulina Bizzotto Molina break down lessons learned from their evaluation of the EU’s support to food systems abroad,...

Four young Entrepreneurs for Rural Access (ERA) – comprising two ERA teams and two individual ERAs – who were selected through the Young Entrepreneur Challenge Fund from Limpopo and Eastern Cape, received a 3-day training in digital tools and technology, 3 to 5 October 2023 in Polokwane, South Africa.

Malawi, a small country in Southeast Africa, is gaining recognition as an emerging player in the global coffee industry. Blessed with fertile soil, favorable climatic conditions and a rich agricultural heritage, Malawi has steadily established itself as a producer of high-quality coffee beans. Today the coffee industry plays a crucial...

This report summarizes the evidence-based and costed country roadmaps for effective public interventions to transform agriculture and food systems in Ethiopia, Malawi, and Nigeria in a way that ends hunger, makes diets healthier and more affordable, improves the productivity and incomes of small-scale producers and their households, and mitigates and...

The growing national and export markets for improved fruit (including mango) and macadamia nuts in Malawi could offer promising opportunities for smallholder farmers if they are better integrated (with appropriate resources and training) within their respective value chains. While the macadamia value chain is highly structured, export oriented and dominated...

This report presents the design and results of a baseline survey with respect to a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) focusing on empowering women in small-scale fisheries. The project supports the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the...

This report presents the design and results of a baseline survey with respect to a project of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) focusing on empowering women in small-scale fisheries. The project supports the implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the...

At the Global Forum on the Future of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for Sustainable Agrifood Systems organised by FAO, 14-16 June 2023, in Blantyre, Malawi, Access Agriculture shared valuable insights from its innovative digital learning approach that combines adult education principles with quality audio-visuals, multiple digital technologies, and a network...

The farmer field school (FFS) has been promoted as an approach for educating farmers on making adaptive farming decisions. In Malawi, the FFS has been used to enhance food security within the context of adaptation to climate change. Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) extends the learning cycle from the core...

Fourteen representatives from five Community Skills Development Centres (CSDCs) participated recently in a hands-on training session organised by Access Agriculture in Zomba, Malawi, as part of an AFC/GOPA consulting group project under the GIZ-Empowering Youth in Agribusiness (EYA) initiative.

Tea is a major cash crop in Malawi and the industry is one of the country’s biggest employers. For small-scale farmers, it is an important source of cash income. But deep gender inequalities prevail at smallholder level, and women tea farmers are being left behind. As part of the Empowering Rural Producers...

The first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Malawi in early April 2020, and the numbers went up subsequently, leading to Government-instituted COVID-19 lockdowns, which disrupted almost all aspects of normal life in the country.  One of the most affected sectors by the lockdowns was agriculture, as contacts between extension workers...

The Malawi Forum for Agriculture Advisory Services (MaFAAS) held its Farming and Extension Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 19 to 22 July 2022. The conference brought together various stakeholders, who are working in the agriculture space in Malawi, from farmer groups to extension service providers (both state and non-state) and...

How to engage farmers that have limited formal education is at the foundation of environmentally sound and equitable agricultural development.  This study describes the process of development of an innovative curriculum, which integrates agroecology, nutrition, climate change, gender, and other dimensions of social equity across 2 weeks of training explicitly for...

Small-scale farmers in low- and middle-income countries face vastly different realities, which translate into diverse challenges and opportunities. Some businesses, governments and development agencies have been promoting smallholder inclusion in global value chains and smallholder commercialisation as an essential part of addressing challenges and creating opportunities. This is happening against a backdrop of growing corporate concentration in agri-food...

Healthy Soil Healthy Food Initiative: Three African agricultural development organisations from Uganda, Kenya and Malawi present their experience of testing new farming principles learned from the Community Managed Natural Farming initiative in India.