Country Context

Malawi is among the world’s poorest countries; over 65.3% of its population live below the national poverty line, 12% of the adult population are infected with the HIV virus and average life expectancy at birth in Malawi is 52 years. Since 2002, Malawi has experienced severe food shortages and famine on a number of occasions when drought and floods caused harvests to fail. With 85% of the population engaged in subsistence farming, a high prevalence of HIV and AIDS, poor infrastructure, high rates of population growth and a susceptibility to both drought and flooding, Malawi’s prospects for future economic growth are constrained.

Malawi is a young democracy. Following independence from Britain in 1964, the country was ruled for 30 years by Dr Hastings Banda before holding the first multi-party elections in 1994.  It’s current President, Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika, who was elected in 2004, and again in 2009, has demonstrated a commitment to sound management of the economy, responding effectively to food shortages and improving the effectiveness of domestic and external financial resources. The International Monetary Fund recently confirmed that the economy is being well managed and that it now enjoys annual growth rates of over 7%, declining inflation rates, and reduced levels of domestic borrowing. The percentage of the population living below the poverty line, decreased by 12% to 40% in 2007. Despite strong economic performance in 2008 and 2009, the impact of the global financial crisis is becoming visible in Malawi, with rising inflation, driven by increases in petroleum and food in early 2008. Malawi is highly aid-dependent; currently around 40% of the government budget is financed by international donors. Development in Malawi is dependent on the effective use of national resources and aid.  Strengthening national policies and institutions for improved delivery of services will be important in protecting those most vulnerable to food shortages and natural disaster. The government has approved and adopted its Malawi Growth and Development Strategy within which all poverty reduction efforts are situated.

Irish Aid in Malawi

Ireland’s initial support to Malawi started during the food security crisis in 2002 with assistance being channelled through Irish and international aid agencies and support for Irish missionaries. Following the commitment in the White Paper to initiate two new country programmes, the Irish Government approved the opening a new Irish Embassy in Malawi in November 2007 and the commencement of the bilateral aid programme. The goal of the Malawi country programme strategy (2010-2014) is to ensure households are better nourished food secure and less vulnerable to poverty. The strategy is sharply focused on food, nutrition security and governance and it reflects the recommendations of the Irish Government’s Hunger Task Force Report.

Programme expenditure amounted to €9.947 million in 2008 and €10.8 million in 2009. An indicative budget of €8.355 million is earmarked for 2010. Additionally, in March 2010, the Irish and U.S Ambassadors in Malawi signed a three-year framework agreement to help Malawi in its fight against hunger and food insecurity with the Irish Government committing an additional €1.5m to support this new agreement in 2010.  

The Country Programme is focused on three key interrelated areas:    

1.Improving democratic governance

Following the holding of well organised and peaceful Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2009, Irish Aid, together with other Development Partners are assisting the Malawi Electoral Commission hold local government elections in late 2010.  Support for these elections will be complemented by activities to strengthen the district assemblies and district services through financing the Local Development Fund and the Local Government Service Charter.  Further support will be directed to the Anti-Corruption Bureau for the government’s Anti Corruption Strategy.

A number of Malawi Civil Society Organisations with a particular focus on inputting into policy development at central level and advocating for improved delivery of services at local level are also supported.

2. Increasing smallholder food productivity

Irish Aid has supported the Malawi Agricultural Inputs Subsidy Programme since 2008. The programme is targeted at increasing agricultural productivity among the poorest smallholder farmers to strengthen national and household food security.  As a result of this support, more than 1.5 million smallholder families have had a variety of high quality affordable seeds made available to them. This has helped boost crop production, decrease malnutrition and contribute to food self sufficiency in Malawi. Support is also provided to Concern Universal for the implementation of a sustainable livelihoods programme in three rural districts.

Irish Aid is also addressing the serious problem of childhood malnutrition through the development of strong links with the International Potato Centre (CIP) which aims to get smallholder farmers to grow a new variety on Vitamin A enriched sweet potato and promote the cultivation of the ‘Irish potato’ in selected districts. Irish Aid also supports the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) which focuses on partnerships between farmers, seed traders and government to improve the availability of, and access to, improved varieties of seed.

Irish Aid’s cooperation with the World Agro-Forestry Centre (ICRAF) aims at increasing food security, income and livelihood opportunities for rural communities in Malawi.  The objective is to improve soil fertility and increase crop yields through the use of technologies that enhance soil fertility and promote sustainable land management practices. Conservation farming also holds a key to some of Malawi’s agricultural problems. Irish Aid supports the National Smallholder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM) in rolling out a national programme to promote the principles and practice of conservation farming among smallholder farmers. This is an important development in the context of the country’s future food needs; Malawi has had an annual growth rate of about 2.8% and it is projected that the current population will double by 2035.

3. Strengthening household resilience

Recognising the negative effects of malnutrition on physical, social and economic development, Irish Aid are supporting for the integration of Community Therapeutic Care (CTC) programmes within the government. We also work with Government and the private sector on the implementation of a National Vitamin A Fortification Programme and support the dissemination of essential nutrition messages through the Nutrition Education Strategy.

Irish Aid supported plans in 2009 to guide future social protection schemes in Malawi.  In 2010, it is planned to strengthen cooperation between Government and development partners on the development of social protection systems in Malawi and a financing mechanism, through which future contributions could be channelled. Irish Aid are working with the Norwegian Embassy, DFID and the Government to agree a comprehensive Disaster Disk Reduction Programme to protect poorer households form the risks of climate change and environmental degradation.

Other Irish Aid support to Malawi

In addition to bilateral programme assistance, Irish Aid also provides assistance through its Civil Society and Emergency and Recovery funding mechanisms to organisations working in development and humanitarian interventions in Malawi. Between 2007-2009  funding of approximately €13 million was provided to Irish missionary and civil society organisations including Concern, Self Help Development International (SHDI), Trócaire and GOAL working on development programmes.  In addition, Irish Aid has also provided over €3.5m to International agencies to respond to food, flooding and health emergencies and support the humanitarian situation since the beginning of 2007.