Evidence for Transformation
The MwAPATA Institute is an independent agricultural policy think tank in Malawi. The Institute is engaging the Government of Malawi, private sector, and civil society stakeholders in a program of applied policy analysis, policy outreach, capacity building, and policy coordination. MwAPATA was established with a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World via Michigan State University and continues with the support of various strategic partners.
MwAPATA Institute
RECENT EVENTS
NEW RESEARCH
Uliimi ndi Chilengedwe (UCHI) Roundtable Event
On Thursday, 16th April 2026, the Mwapata Institute, in partnership with UNDP Malawi, the TRADE Program and the National Planning Commission of Malawi, with support from the European Union in Malawi, convened a high-level, multi-stakeholder roundtable event under the Uliimi ndi Chilengedwe (UCHI) Commercialisation project. The event, which was held under the theme “Turning Potential into Commercial Outcomes: Strengthening Implementation for Inclusive Agricultural Commercialisation,” took place at the Sunbird Capital Hotel in Lilongwe.
During the event, the MwAPATA Institute shared key findings and policy recommendations from deep-dive analyses of the banana, soybean, and rice value chains, with a focus on translating those findings into coordinated action for inclusive agricultural commercialisation. The roundtable event brought together government policymakers, private sector actors, financial institutions, development partners and other critical stakeholders who brainstormed and mapped pathways to the transformative implementation of evidence-based actions for Inclusive Agricultural Commercialisation.
Download the event's MwAPATA presentations below:
Commercialisation and Investment Options for Banana Value in Malawi
Presented by Mrs Joyce Minofu - MwAPATA Research Analyst
Opportunities, Issues and Options for Commercialising the Rice Value Chain in Malawi Presented by Dr Christone Nyondo - MwAPATA Research Fellow
Strategies for Building a Profitable Soybean Value Chain in Malawi
Presented by Dr Anderson Gondwe - MwAPATA Research Fellow
Recommendations and Proposed Implementation Mechanism Matrix
Presented by Dr Christone Nyondo - MwAPATA Research Fellow
Proposed Policy Implementation Support Panel for Driving Value Chain Commercialisation Presented by Dr Christone Nyondo - Research Fellow
The MwAPATA Institute, in partnership with the National Planning Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development (MoAIWD), convened the first Food Systems Sub-Technical Working Groups (FSSTWG) meeting, held at the Lifestyle Boutique Hotel in Lilongwe on Tuesday, 14th April, 2025. The main objective of the meeting was to provide space for each of the sub-technical working groups, i.e., policy and programs, research, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, and resources mobilisation, to develop a prioritised set of interventions to be implemented in 2026 to transform food systems.
The sub-committees identified resource gaps and developed strategies to mobilise resources and close financial gaps in food systems transformation programs. They also developed a food systems monitoring and evaluation framework guided by the food systems action tracks, pathways and development frameworks. The meeting was vital as Malawi is operationalising a Food Systems Transformation initiative as a catalytic intervention to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and Malawi’s medium-term development goal of graduating the economy to a lower middle-income by 2030.
Stay Informed on Research Releases
Do Land Reforms Promote Equity in Land Rental Market Participation? Evidence from Malawi
Does accessing multiple social support programmes improve household resilience and food security?
Policy Lessons for Localising the Food Systems Transformation Agenda in Malawi
Malawi Public Agricultural Expenditure Review
Healthy foods cost more and differ by Region in Sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis
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