Oil Seed Platform

Platform Overview

The Oil Seed Platform is a multi-stakeholder initiative coordinated by AICC to promote sustainable production, processing, value addition, and marketing across Malawi's oil seed value chain. Oil seed crops including sunflower, soybean, groundnuts, and sesame; represent a significant opportunity for smallholder farmers to diversify income and contribute to Malawi's agricultural commercialisation goals.

The platform brings together farmers, processors, input suppliers, traders, financial institutions, researchers, and government agencies to coordinate efforts and address systemic challenges in the oil seed sector.

Platform Objectives

• Promote sustainable oil seed production among smallholder farmers
• Facilitate improved processing, value addition, and packaging of oil seed products
• Develop structured market linkages for oil seed farmers and processors
• Advocate for policy frameworks that support the growth of the oil seed sector
• Improve coordination among oil seed value chain actors to reduce duplication and maximise impact
• Promote investment in oil seed processing and value addition infrastructure

Key Crops

• Sunflower — widely grown by smallholder farmers; significant oil and protein content
• Soybean — high-value legume with growing domestic and export demand
• Groundnuts — traditional cash crop with strong domestic market and export potential
• Sesame — climate-resilient, high-value export crop (also supported by the Sesame Platform)

Get Involved

The Oil Seed Platform welcomes participation from all stakeholders interested in developing Malawi's oil seed sector including farmers, processors, traders, input suppliers, financial institutions, researchers, government agencies, and development partners. Contact AICC Africa to learn more about joining the platform.