AGRICULTURE

REVOLUTIONIZING AGRICULTURE FOR A SELF-SUFFICIENT AND
PROSPEROUS MALAWI

Throughout history, nations have progressed by first securing a strong agricultural foundation before advancing into industry and commerce. Agriculture remains the cornerstone of Malawi’s economy and the bedrock for achieving MW2063 aspirations.

To unlock sustainable development, we must transition agriculture into
a modern, productive, and resilient sector—one that ensures food security, drives industrialization, and fuels economic transformation. The sector faces significant challenges, including:

• Climate change impacting yields and increasing food insecurity.
• Low productivity due to outdated farming methods and inadequate
  investment.
• Poor infrastructure leading to post-harvest losses and market inefficiencies.
• Over-reliance on maize production making the economy vulnerable to
  climate shocks.
• Fragmented agricultural supply chains hindering value addition and industrialization.

Addressing poor leadership is the first step toward unlocking the sector’s potential, paving the way for comprehensive reforms that will drive Malawi toward agricultural self-sufficiency and prosperity.

Reliance on rain-fed farming and primitive methods exacerbates food insecurity, despite Malawi possessing some of the most arable land in Africa.

Past programs like input subsidies and climate-smart initiatives have failed due to poor execution, corruption, and lack of long-term planning. National food reserves provide temporary relief but fail to address systemic issues.

UTM PLEDGES: AGRICULTURE AS A BUSINESS
Dalitso Kabambe pledges that under his leadership, agriculture will no longer be about handouts and political programs. It will be about food security, profitability, value addition, industrial growth, wealth creation, and restoring the dignity of Malawian citizens and farmers. Under his UTM Administration, agriculture will be treated as a serious business, not just a means of survival, but a source of pride and prosperity.

He will ensure that Agriculture and Agribusiness contribute a significant portion of the GDP within 5 years, driving economic transformation
and empowering Malawians to thrive with dignity and self-reliance.A UTM-led government will prioritize transforming agriculture into a modern, efficient, and market-driven sector. The following reforms and actions align with MW2063’s pillars of Agricultural Productivity, Industrialization, and Environmental Sustainability, leveraging enablers such as Private Sector Dynamism and Governance to unlock Malawi’s agricultural potential.

Flagship Mega Farms: A Catalyst for Transformation
Alignment with MW2063: Supports the Agricultural Productivity and Industrialization pillars by ensuring steady supply chains for agro-industrial growth.

Target Milestone: Aim for agriculture and relevant value-added sectors to contribute up to 30% of Malawi’s GDP by 2030 through the establishment of Mega
Farms.

UTM Pledges:
Develop flagship Mega Farms in each district, with some tailored to produce highdemand crops such as maize, soya, coffee, macadamia, aquaculture products, fruits, and livestock with targeted annual outputs. These farms will align with the ecological strengths of each district to maximize productivity. Some of our output targets by Year 5 are as follows but not limited to:

• 10 million metric tons of maize to ensure national food security and support value-added industries.
• 5 million metric tons of soya to boost animal feed production and agroprocessing industries.
• 2 million metric tons of fish from aquaculture to meet both domestic consumption and export demands
• 500 thousand metric tons of coffee to position Malawi as a competitive player in the global coffee market.
• 5 million metric tons of various fruits (including mangoes, citrus, bananas, and avocados) to support fresh produce markets and fruit-processing industries.
• 1 million metric tons of macadamia nuts for both local value addition and export markets.
• Significant increases in livestock production, including beef, poultry, and dairy products, to meet growing protein demands and support agro-industries.
  
  These Mega Farms will serve as hubs for modern agricultural practices, innovation, and job creation, transforming Malawi’s agricultural landscape into a powerhouse of productivity and economic growth. They will also play a pivotal role in enhancing
  food security, and driving sustainable industrialization across the agricultural value chain..
  
  

Support for Subsistence and Smallholder Farmers
Alignment with MW2063: Promotes inclusive wealth creation by empowering smallholder farmers and transitioning them toward commercial farming.
Target Milestone: Transform 30% of subsistence farmers into commercial farmers by 2030.

UTM Pledges:

• Consolidated Land Models: Encourage and incentivize subsistence and smallholder farmers to consolidate their land through cooperative models.
• Subsidies: Reform the AIP subsidy programs to
  provide free farm inputs and tractor services for the first two growing seasons as a reward for subsistence land consolidation of no less than 10 hectares, with linkages to an Anchor Off-Taker.
• Social Housing Schemes: To incentivize land consolidation, UTM will also offer social housing schemes with mortgages at low rates deducted from their dividends
• Capitalization: Offer affordable loans for farming equipment and machinery to enable farmers to scale operations beyond the initial subsidy period.
• Support Structures: Enhance extension services to provide training in modern farming practices, ensuring sustainable and efficient land use.