Revitalizing Rural Economies: Diversification’s Key to Higher Incomes for Malawi’s Farmers

Key Business Points

• Malawian farmers are diversifying their crops and adopting integrated crop-livestock systems, which has led to increased incomes and resilience in the face of climate shocks.
• Legume cultivation is on the rise in Malawi, with production expanding by an average of 32,900 hectares per year between 2012 and 2023, offering opportunities for soil fertility improvement and increased farm income.
• To support these developments, investments in extension services, access to credit for inputs, and linking producers to off-takers are necessary to address existing barriers and maximize benefits for farmers.

Malawian farmers are moving away from single-crop dependence, with a growing trend towards diversification and integration of livestock into their farming systems. A recent study by Anderson Gondwe and others found that households adopting crop-livestock systems earned more and consumed more varied diets than those relying solely on crops like maize and tobacco. This shift towards diversification has been driven in part by the need to build resilience in the face of worsening climate shocks, such as El-Niño-induced droughts and floods.

The study, which drew on data from the Malawi Rural Agricultural Livelihoods Panel Survey between 2019 and 2024, found that livestock integration cushioned families against these climate-related stresses. As the study notes, "Agricultural diversification is positively associated with household per capita income and household dietary diversity." This highlights the potential for diversification to not only improve farmers’ incomes but also contribute to food security and nutrition in rural areas.

In addition to the growth of integrated crop-livestock systems, there has been a significant expansion of legume cultivation in Malawi. A separate regional study led by Hambulo Ngoma and colleagues at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre found that legume production expanded by an average of 32,900 hectares per year between 2012 and 2023. This has raised the share of legumes in cropped land by five percentage points, with nearly half of Malawian farmers reporting an increase in legume production over the past five years.

According to Mwapata Institute executive director William Chadza, these findings reflect realities on the ground, with many farmers recognizing the benefits of integrated farming systems. However, Chadza notes that access to quality seed, fertiliser, and extension services remains a major barrier to further growth and development. To address these challenges, increased investments in extension services, access to credit for inputs, and linking producers to off-takers will be necessary.

As agriculture development policy analyst Tamani Nkhono-Mvula suggests, strengthening the inclusion of legumes in national subsidy programmes could be a key strategy for achieving triple wins in terms of soil fertility improvement, overall farm productivity, and increased farm income. By supporting the growth of legume cultivation and integrated crop-livestock systems, Malawi’s farmers can zanji za mtundu (improve their farming practices) and kugwira ntchito (create jobs) in the agricultural sector, ultimately contributing to kusintha kwa uchumi (economic growth) and kuwongolera kwa zuza (poverty reduction) in the country.

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