MALAWI: A CGIAR COVID-19 HUB FOCUS COUNTRY

Despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth, Malawi remains one of the world's poorest countries [1]. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought more challenges such as disruptions in agricultural input (fertilizer, seed, labor) and output supply chains and increased transaction and transportation costs due to restricted market access with potential increases in postharvest losses, food price changes in response to supply shifts, reduced farmers' incomes, and adverse effects on nutrition.

Leveraging the significant resources CGIAR has within target countries, researchers working through the CGIAR COVID-19 Hub are engaging with governments and other national partners in Malawi and elsewhere to respond to country demands for innovative and evidence-based solutions for emergency response and recovery.

CGIAR COVID-19 Hub research priorities:

• What are the impacts of COVID-19 on economic growth, employment, incomes, and input supply, crop production, producer vs consumer prices, and food and nutrition security?
• Which approaches are most effective for strengthening seed supply chains of high-yielding and nutritious crop varieties under pandemic conditions?
• To what extent can seed system improvements, coupled with climate-smart agricultural practices, reduce risks to food security and access to healthy diets induced by COVID-19?

Expected research outputs:

• Research report and policymakers' brief on the effects of COVID-19 on Malawi's agricultural economy/smallholder farmers' livelihoods by updating SAM multiplier modelling of COVID-19 impacts on the Malawian economy;
• Documenting guidelines for the availability of improved seed of high yielding and nutritious crop varieties under Malawi's pandemic conditions; and
• Climate-smart agricultural practices identified and packaged for dissemination through farmer field schools and digital advisory services.

Learn more about CGIAR COVID-19 Hub work in Malawi.

Learn more about CGIAR COVID-19 Hub work in other focus countries:

• Bangladesh
• Ethiopia
• Myanmar
• Nigeria

[1] https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malawi/overview