Legumes Platform

This platform aims at promoting sustainable legume production, processing, value addition and marketing. Legumes are an important component of the agriculture sector in Malawi, being included in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) II (2011-2016) and the ASWAp for crop food security diversification, nutrition and export potential. Production of rice over the past ten years has been increasing. However, the general trend masks a The Legumes Platform has emerged through a series of stakeholders meetings and consultations initially initiated by Irish Aid and thereafter, facilitated by AICC. The need for the platform surfaced as a result of realisation that small individual impacts achieved by different stakeholders could significantly be up-scaled if coordination among actors were improved. Since, November 2011, AICC through MAP with support from other interested donors/partners such as Irish Aid and Rural Livelihood Economic Enhancement Program (RLEEP) has been working with key stakeholders in the legumes sector in order to collect develop strategies for harnessing opportunities and overcoming key challenges facing the legumes sector. Using a value chain approach, improved coordination of activities is envisaged, as well as to identify constraints and opportunities and to provide workable solutions for problems affecting the sub-sector to make it efficient and viable. The Legumes Development Trust also provides additional information related to the AICC Legumes platform.

Rice Development Trust(RDT)

The overall objective of the Trust is to advance and promote the development of a competitive rice value chain in Malawi in the following areas:

Farmer Organization and Capacity Building

• Facilitate the identification of capacity needs in Malawi’s rice value chain and lobby for increased support to address the needs;
• Facilitate farmer organization development and strengthening for improved production, management and quality of rice;
• Facilitate the organization of Malawi’s rice value chain actors and strengthening of cooperatives for strategic and profitable cooperative business management;

• Facilitate access to improved inputs and implements, extension services and technologies for Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
• Promote the adoption of the good agricultural practices and other quality standards in the rice value chain;
• Coordinate the rice seed supply system in Malawi to ensure the multiplication and distribution of high-quality rice seeds to the rice producing areas; Processing, Value Addition and Marketing
• Promote a transparent and objective pricing mechanism for rice and rice products along the value chain which is acceptable and trusted by relevant stakeholders;
• Promote coordination among Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
• Promote and lobby for fair trading practices among Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
• Facilitate the education of Malawi’s rice value chain actors in processing, value addition and marketing;
• Promote coordination in processing, value addition and marketing of rice and its products.
• Facilitate the marketing of rice and rice products, both domestically and internationally, in collaboration with relevant rice value chain actors

• Facilitate the Trust’s Members’ access to production, processing, value addition and marketing information;
• Facilitate information sharing and benchmarking best practices on rice value chain development in Malawi and abroad;
• Facilitate the development and establishment of production, processing and market information data base;

• Facilitate increased access to financial services by Malawi’s rice value chain actors.
• Facilitate the promotion of investment in rice value chain in Malawi.
• Facilitate the promotion of commercialization of all rice value chain activities

• Establish and strengthen partnerships within the global, regional and national rice value chain;
• Facilitate adoption, implementation and compliance to domestic and international quality standards by the rice value chain actors;
• Advocate for certification and or accreditation of Malawi’s rice value chain actors to exploit both domestic and export markets;

• Facilitate the identification of policy gaps in Malawi’s rice sector and lobby for positive policy changes for the development of Malawi’s rice value chain to ensure fair trade and increased access to export markets;
• Lobby for adequate representation of the rice sector in national, regional and global policy processes;
• Lobby for infrastructure development aimed at fostering positive change in Malawi’s rice value chain;

Oil Seed

Beef Platform

Sesame Platform

Young Farmer Innovator Platform