LocationsUCHI Programme Launch — A Bold Step Towards Greener, Stronger Food Systems in Malawi
June 11, 2025
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Rune Skinnebach (far left), displays signed documents alongside a representative of the District Commissioners, as Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr. Owen Chomanika (centre), looks on.
Malawi on Tuesday, 10 June 2025, marked a significant milestone in its journey towards sustainable development with the official launch of the Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe (UCHI) Programme, a landmark initiative funded by the European Union and implemented in partnership with the UNDP, UNICEF, the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), AGRER, district councils and key Government ministries.
The launch brought together stakeholders across Malawi’s development spectrum to celebrate and commit to a shared vision: transforming food systems, restoring ecosystems, and improving rural livelihoods.
The launch convened stakeholders from across Malawi’s development landscape.
What is UCHI?
The €60 million, 5-year UCHI Programme builds on the achievements of previous programmes including the KULIMA and AFIKEPO projects, and introduces integrated, evidence-driven solutions across four components:
- Greening: Preservation and restoration of Malawi’s forests and farmland; improved land use planning; and sustainable natural resource management.
✅ Target: Restore 100,000 hectares, register 66,570 land parcels, and reach 80,000 households. - Growing: Agricultural commercialisation that supports five value chains (soybean, rice, banana, aquaculture, and apiculture) with emphasis on smallholders’ technical capacity building, financial inclusion, market linkages, processing and innovative digital solutions.
✅ Target: 20,000 households, 200 farmer organisations/Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 17 districts. - Nutrition: Enhancing dietary diversity and nutrition outcomes through the production of nutritious crops, social behaviour change communication, food innovations, and WASH practices.
✅ Target: 400,000 households, 2 million community members. - Participatory Action Research: Harnessing the power of local knowledge to shape better policies by tracking the real-time impact of UCHI activities, building lasting research capacity within Malawi and generating and sharing knowledge to inform smarter, more inclusive policy choices.
Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr. Owen Chomanika.
Leadership Voices
The event was officiated by the Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr. Owen Chomanika, who emphasized the urgency of meaningful impact.
“If we are not careful, the programme will continue beyond 2063 with no real change for the people,” he warned, highlighting Malawi’s dwindling forest cover, which is shrinking by 2% annually. “Without intervention, Malawi risks becoming a desert in 50 years.”
Dr. Chomanika expressed optimism that UCHI will accelerate economic transformation through ecosystem restoration and sustainable agriculture. He reiterated the need to align agricultural value with GDP contribution, noting that despite employing 80% of Malawians, agriculture accounts for only 24.7% of the country's GDP.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Mr. Rune Skinnebach.
EU Ambassador to Malawi, Mr. Rune Skinnebach, highlighted the strategic ambition of UCHI: "Building sustainable food systems means more than feeding people today—it means restoring the land, protecting forests, improving nutrition, and creating lasting economic opportunities for farming families. Through the UCHI: Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe Project, we are investing in climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive agriculture, thriving value chains, and natural resource management to drive resilient, inclusive growth and agricultural transformation across Malawi."
A panel discussion underway during the launcg of the UCHI Programme in Lilongwe.
Why UCHI Matters
Malawi’s food systems are vulnerable: 80% of the population depends on agriculture, yet the sector contributes only 24.7% to the country's GDP. UCHI’s approach — combining agroecology, value chain development, land restoration, and nutrition — addresses these structural gaps while aligning with Malawi 2063, the EU Global Gateway, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Funding & Strategic Partners
- 🇪🇺 European Union: €56.5 million
- 🇺🇳 UNDP: €2.3 million
- 🇺🇳 UNICEF: €1.04 million
- 🎓 LUANAR: €200,000
The programme will be implemented in the districts of Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Mulanje, Salima, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Mzimba, Nkhatabay, Karonga, Chitipa, Rumphi, Ntchisi, Dedza, Ntcheu, Zomba, Chikwawa and Nsanje.
Partners include Malawi’s Ministries of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Health, Trade and Industry, Lands, and Local Government, as well as district councils, civil society organisations (CSOs), academia, and the private sector.