By Deborah Madeya:
The International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) has faulted government policies, saying they reinforce maize dominance.
The institute says this makes the entire food system vulnerable.
In a report released on Wednesday, Ifpri says maize is not a climate-resilient plant, a development that exposes many farmers to hunger each year.
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The institute suggests an increase in production in a variety of crops such as sorghum, cassava and millet, which it says are more climate resilient.
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The report also indicates that the unavailability of markets for other staples is what hinders farmers from diversifying beyond maize production.
“For decades, the global and national research systems have focused on maize through investments in [the] development of high-yielding hybrid varieties, agronomic trials, fertiliser response studies and extension services. These efforts have produced remarkable performance in maize but widened the performance gap between maize and alternative staples,” the report reads.
Ifpri further says subsidy programmes should not be centred on maize but, rather, policymakers should promote a variety of crops.
It further says Malawi’s food goals should be redefined.
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“Even if yields improve and subsidies stop focusing on maize, diversification beyond maize cannot thrive in a system where markets are unreliable and risky. Transparent and rule-based government interventions in food markets would build confidence among both farmers and traders. Investment in storages and marketing infrastructure can reduce the risks farmers face when producing non-maize staples,” the report further.
Meanwhile, agriculture policy analyst Leonard Chimwaza has said if crop diversification is to work in Malawi, there is a need for mindset change.
Chimwaza recommended the generation of more knowledge on food processing and the utilisation of alternative food crops.
“It is all about the mindset we, Malawians, have on other alternative food crops. Policy direction favours the promotion of maize production as opposed to other alternative food crops such as cassava and millet. We have always subjected small land sizes to these other crops, hence low yields and production. We need to tailor programmes on proper preparation and preservation of these food crops, which will help in lowering pressure on maize,” Chimwaza said.
Earlier this month the agriculture policy think-tank Mwapata Institute published a report which showed that 41 percent of government expenditure on agriculture was used for subsidy inputs that target maize production.
