Mwapata Institute

11/06/2026

Representing the MwAPATA Institute, our Research Fellow, Dr Anderson Sawira Gondwe, participated in the 4th Transformation Learning Lab held in Windhoek, Namibia, under the Global Programme Transformation of Food Systems. The Transformation Learning Lab, held from 8th to 11th June 2026, brought together actors and partners in the global food systems sector who shared their experiences, best practices, and lessons learned in food systems transformation to inspire and co-create knowledge and processes to shape transformative actions in the years to come.

The participants at the event reflected on the global drivers and framework conditions for transformative processes for food systems and shared progress, successes, and challenges from country-based initiatives concerning the food systems transformation agenda. The event also provided a platform for networking between actors of the initiatives and partners.

Apart from Dr Gondwe, representatives from Malawi included Dr Andrew Jamali of the National Planning Commission of Malawi, Ms Vitowe Batch of GIZ Malawi, and Ms Patience Perera of CSONA. The Malawi team joined counterparts from Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Kenya, Mexico, Paraguay, India, and Germany.

11/06/2026

New Publication Alert! Visit https://www.mwapata.mw/policybriefs to access this policy brief.


Ministry of Agriculture - Malawi Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture - Malawi

08/06/2026

On Thursday, 4th June 2026, the MwAPATA Institute participated in the Malawi Soil Health Indaba 2026, organised by Palladium with support from the Irish Embassy of Malawi. The event was held at BICC in Lilongwe under the theme “Unlocking Commercialisation of Soil Health Fertilisers at Scale”. The objective of the Indaba was to promote private-sector solutions for addressing soil health issues in Malawi.

Our Research Fellow, Dr Christone Nyondo and Research Analyst Mr Lemekezani Kingston Chilora, represented MwAPATA at the event. Dr Nyondo gave a keynote presentation titled "The Cost of Inaction: Why Soil Degradation is Malawi’s Most Urgent -Yet Silent -Economic Crisis". The presentation was based on MwAPATA's research on the opportunity cost of not acting now with strengthened coordination, urgency and scale-matching solutions to the scale of the soil health challenges. Mr Chilora was one of the panelists at the event. The panel discussion focused on priorities and pathways to unlocking the commercialisation of soil health fertilisers at scale.

The event brought together private-sector producers, researchers, regulators, buyers, financiers, and development partners to align on the market conditions needed to translate soil health investments into smallholder productivity, climate resilience, and food security outcomes at a commercial scale.

07/06/2026

Happy Birthday to our ED, Mr William Chadza 🎂

29/05/2026

In collaboration with our partners Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD Malawi), we are conducting capacity-building workshops on documentation of success stories for Field Officers in the Water and Soil Accelerator (WASA) project. Our Communications Officer, Blessme Phiri and his counterparts from CRS and CARD are facilitating the workshops in the three WASA impact districts, namely Mangochi, Mulanje and Chikwawa.

The purpose of the training is to equip field officers with practical skills in success story identification and compilation, as well as field photography, in order to improve the project's documentation practice. This will also enhance the WASA project's visibility, learning, and reporting. The Field Officers are also equipped with practical skills to effectively document the project's achievements, best practices, community impact, lessons learnt and human-interest stories for reporting, advocacy and knowledge sharing.

In Mangochi, the workshop was held from Monday, 25th May 2026 to Tuesday, 26th May 2026. In Mulanje, the Workshop was conducted from Thursday, 28th May 2026, to Friday, 29th May 2026. The facilitation team will then proceed to Chikwawa, where the final workshop will be held.

The WASA project aims to promote equitable and resilient soil and water systems in southern Malawi by enhancing agricultural productivity, market access, climate resilience, and inclusive natural resource management. The project supports farmers and communities in adopting sustainable soil and water management practices, climate-smart agriculture, crop diversification, and landscape restoration approaches, while strengthening community structures and learning platforms. CRS implements the project in partnership with CARD and the MwAPATA Institute with support from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

21/05/2026

Our January to April 2026 Newsletter is out!! Download and read the newsletter athttps://www.mwapata.mw/_files/ugd/dd6c2f_9ea1300eda6644c8a1c52715b6d11246.pdf

19/05/2026

The MwAPATA Institute, National Planning Commission of Malawi (NPC) and the Ministry of Agriculture - Malawi are participating in the 4th Africa Food Systems Transformation Meeting in Accra, Ghana. The meeting commenced on Monday, 18th May 2026, and will run through Wednesday, 20th May 2026. Minister of Agriculture Hon Roza Fatch Mbilizi is participating as the Convenor of the Malawi Food Systems Team, accompanied by a delegation including Dr Andrew Jamali, the Acting Director of Knowledge and Learning at NPC; MwAPATA Research Fellow, Dr Anderson Sawira Gondwe; and Mr Mphatso Chiwewe, Chief Economist at the Ministry of Agriculture.

The 4th Africa Food Systems Transformation Meeting aims to build on national and regional food systems momentum, bringing attention to topics and best practices to catalyse food systems transformation goals, strategies and actions. The Meeting also connects and aligns demand-driven responses and country support initiatives from the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub and from the broader Ecosystem of Support, including UN agencies, Coalitions of Action, civil society, the private sector, academia, and other partners.

The participants at the meeting will highlight practical, needs-based opportunities for coordinated collaboration and partnerships among the food systems ecosystem of support. There will also be a knowledge compendium of replicable country experiences, investment models, and policy instruments to inform Africa-led policy processes as well as global processes.

Another key expected outcome of the meeting is a strengthened regional ecosystem of support, including renewed cooperation between governments, the UN system, development partners and banks, and non-state actors. In addition, the meeting will result in continued nurturing and empowerment of National Convenors and other frontline practitioners as core champions of an integrated, cross-sector food systems transformation agenda in their countries.

18/05/2026

NEW PUBLICATION ALERT!!!

Visit https://www.mwapata.mw/peer-reviewed to download this and other peer-reviewed articles by MwAPATA researchers.

15/05/2026

Happy Birthday to our Research Analyst, Mrs Dinah Tuwanje Salonga 🥳

14/05/2026