LocationsFrom Evidence to Action: UNDP and Partners Advance Banana, Soybean and Rice Value Chains for Inclusive Agricultural Commercialisation in Malawi
April 17, 2026
A panel discussion underway at the UCHI Policy Dialogue in Lilongwe
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in close collaboration with the Government of Malawi and with financial support from the European Union (EU), convened a high-level policy dialogue to accelerate implementation of priority reforms in the banana, soybean and rice value chains under the Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe m’Malawi (UCHI) – Strengthening Agricultural Commercialisation Project.
Held in Lilongwe, the roundtable brought together senior government officials, development partners, private sector actors, financial institutions and researchers to disseminate evidence from deep-dive value chain studies conducted by the MwAPATA Institute, and to identify practical actions required to unlock inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural commercialisation.
EU Team Leader for Climate, Environment, Agriculture and Resilience, Ms. Denisa Salkova.
“The key question before us now is: how do we translate these insights into tangible results?”Ms. Denisa Salkova, EU Team Leader for Climate, Environment, Agriculture and Resilience.
Speaking on behalf of the European Union, Ms. Denisa Salkova, Team Leader for Climate, Environment, Agriculture and Resilience, reaffirmed the EU’s continued support to Malawi’s agricultural commercialisation agenda through the UCHI Programme.
She commended the relevance of the MwAPATA Institute’s analytical work and that the theme of the event “Turning Potential into Commercial Outcomes: Strengthening Implementation for Inclusive Agricultural Commercialisation,” was both timely and highly relevant.
Echoing the focus on implementation, Ms. Salkova reminded everyone of the importance of turning study findings into results.
“The key question before us now is: how do we translate these insights into tangible results?”
She highlighted that the EU and UNDP, in partnership with the government, have already taken steps to address some critical issues highlighted in the studies.
“I wish to highlight that while the presentation from Mwapata Institute on the value chain deep-dives will highlight key issues in the three value chains, we have, in partnership with Government, taken steps to addressing identified constraints in seed systems, extension services, access to Inputs, and access to finance.” Ms. Salkova said.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Dr. Chika Charles Aniekwe.
“These value chains hold significant potential for Malawi’s agricultural transformation."UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Dr. Chika Charles Aniekwe.
Opening the dialogue, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Dr. Chika Charles Aniekwe, underscored the importance of grounding policy and investment decisions in evidence, while ensuring that analysis leads to concrete outcomes.
“Today’s dialogue is an important step in translating evidence into action,” he said.
Through the UCHI Project, UNDP has supported in-depth analyses of selected agricultural value chains to better understand market dynamics, structural bottlenecks and opportunities for reform.
“The studies we are discussing today on the soybean, banana, and rice value chains provide valuable insights that can inform policy decisions, investment priorities, and implementation strategies,” Dr. Aniekwe said.
The roundtable brought together senior government officials, development partners, private sector actors, financial institutions and researchers.
During the roundtable, MwAPATA Institute researchers presented findings showing that while the three value chains hold significant growth potential, systemic constraints continue to limit productivity, competitiveness and inclusivity.
The banana value chain presentation highlighted that despite Malawi’s favourable agro‑climatic conditions, domestic production remains below national demand, resulting in continued reliance on imports. The analysis pointed to weak seed systems, Banana Bunchy Top Virus (BBTV), limited irrigation access, post‑harvest losses and policy coordination gaps as key constraints.
At the same time, the study demonstrated that actors within the chain remain profitable, with strong potential for income growth if investments are made in clean planting materials, irrigation, improved husbandry practices and structured market linkages.
The rice value chain presentation positioned rice as Malawi’s second most important staple and cash crop, with rising consumption driven by changing preferences and income growth. However, the deep-dive showed that commercialisation is hindered by weak and centralised seed systems, low diffusion of improved varieties, climate‑vulnerable production systems, limited value addition and weak coordination between producers and processors. The analysis emphasised that while rice is profitable across the chain, significantly higher margins can be realised through processing, quality upgrading and stronger producer‑processor linkages.
The soybean value chain presentation demonstrated strong domestic and export market potential, supported by growth in the poultry, livestock and fish feed industries and significant installed processing capacity within Malawi. However, the study revealed that yields remain far below potential and production has been volatile in recent years.
Key challenges identified included poor access to quality seed, low adoption of inoculants and fertiliser, weather shocks and limited extension support. The presentation showed that strengthening productivity, storage, aggregation and market linkages could substantially improve smallholder margins while reducing idle capacity in processing facilities.
Reflecting on these findings, Dr. Aniekwe emphasised the broader development impact of strengthening these value chains.
“These value chains hold significant potential for Malawi’s agricultural transformation. Strengthening them can therefore contribute to improved productivity, expanded agribusiness opportunities, and increased incomes for smallholder farmers,” he said.
He stressed, however, that evidence alone will not deliver results without coordinated implementation.
“Addressing the systemic challenges within agricultural value chains requires collaboration among government institutions, the private sector, financial service providers, development partners, and research institutions,” he said, adding that platforms such as the policy dialogue are critical for aligning priorities and identifying actionable pathways forward.
Secretary for Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism, Mr. Wiskes Nkombezi.
Secretary for Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism, Mr. Wiskes Nkombezi, underscored the importance of value chain development in driving agroindustrialisation, expanding markets and strengthening private sector participation in line with Malawi’s broader economic transformation agenda.
“While research and analysis are critical, the real challenge is implementation. As the government, we are strengthening policy coordination, improving the agroprocessing business environment and supporting SMEs and cooperatives,” he said.
The UCHI Programme, supported by the European Union and implemented by UNDP in partnership with the Government of Malawi and other UN agencies, seeks to align policy reform, investment and institutional capacity to strengthen inclusive and climateresilient agricultural commercialisation.