Malawi Government Research Articles

An Analysis of the Tax Incidence of VAT to Milk in Malawi

Dairy is a key investment sector for the Government of Malawi. On 1 October 2016, the Malawi Revenue Authority announced that milk, which until then had been exempted from value added tax (VAT), was going to be taxed at the standard rate of 16.5 percent. The measure has been met with strong opposition and thus, was short lived (eliminated in May 2017). The purpose of this paper is to present an analysis of the effect that such a tax would have on its incidence, on the different stages of the supply chain, and ultimately on its economic and social sustainability. The paper investigates these implications by developing a multimarket model applied to the Malawian dairy supply chain. The results indicate that 24.3 percent of the VAT revenues would be borne by consumers and the remaining 75.7 percent would be borne by the domestic dairy industry (i.e., processors and smallholder farmers). This was due mainly to the value of the price elasticity of consumers’ demand for pasteurised milk. The results highlight the vulnerability of inclusive value chains to economic policies that may affect consumers’ demand.

Key challenges to advancing land tenure security through land governance in Malawi: Impact of land reform processes on implementation efforts

Malawi embarked on a long and arduous journey of adopting comprehensive and transformative land reforms from the mid-1990s. These reforms seek to promote equitable land access, tenure security and efficient land use. Land reform, however, is replete with competing interests and competing objectives by its originators. Using the concept of land governance, this paper explores the extent to which the methodology of the land reform program in Malawi, including its conceptualisation, aids the implementation strategy in achieving the ideal of tenure security and equitable land access. It explores three questions namely: What methodology was used in land reform processes in Malawi and why? What is the impact of this methodology on the implementation strategy? What are the likely outcomes of the impact in achieving the ideals of equitable land access and tenure security, especially for women? The paper demonstrates that the inefficient management by the state of the interests and objectives of key players in land reform, such as the chieftaincy and international economic actors, at conception stage and with regard to a land reform methodology impacts negatively on subsequent implementation efforts. This is the case for Malawi as the key challenges in implementing the land reforms directly stem from the inefficient management of the policy design stage of the land reform program and the skewed legislative processes that followed.

Corruption and the impact of law enforcement: insights from a mixed-methods study in Malawi

ABSTRACTThe article argues that the impact of law enforcement efforts against corruption deserves more scholarly attention. Drawing on a mixed-methods study from Malawi in southern Africa, where a large-scale law enforcement operation has been investigating and prosecuting those involved in a 2013 corruption scandal known as ‘Cashgate’, the article explores the potential for corruption deterrence from the perspective of government officials in the Malawi civil service. Malawi provides a challenging environment for deterrence due to limited state capacity, weak law enforcement agencies and widespread corruption. Nonetheless, the research findings show that Malawian government officials perceive prosecutions and convictions to deter corruption, both with regards to the law enforcement response to Cashgate specifically and law enforcement efforts in general. The findings from Malawi suggest that law enforcement and criminal justice have the potential to make an important contribution to anti-corruption strategies in Africa and the Global South at large.

Impact of Agricultural Communication Interventions on Improving Agricultural Productivity in Malawi

Agricultural communication (AGCOM) has been known to aid in disseminating research-based agricultural information among Malawian farmers. In 1958 the Malawi Government, via the Ministry of Agriculture, established the Agricultural Communications Branch (ACB) in an attempt to increase access to and adoption of scientifically-proven technologies among farmers. Moreover, in 2000 the Malawi Government started implementing an agricultural extension policy that promoted pluralistic demand-driven extension, which led to the increased availability of non-governmental organizations providing AGCOM services to farmers. However, after several decades of using different communication tools to promote new technologies, low productivity in most small holder farms remains a challenge, with limited adoption of improved technology as one of the contributing factors. In this exploratory, convergent, mixed methods study, 30 Malawian farmers and six AGCOM officers who were selected using convenient and snow ball sampling respectively participated in key informant interviews. In addition, 64 AGCOM officers who were selected using simple random sampling were involved in a survey. The findings of the study revealed that information delivered to farmers does not address farmer needs in most cases. Specifically, existing policies, source and availability of funding, and the agricultural calendar influenced choice of information that was disseminated. For example, the existing policy does not allow AGCOM officers to disseminate local and innovative farmer practices unless they are tested and approved by scientists. Such policies, perpetuates a mindset among farmers that innovations originate from outside their communities, thereby making it hard for them to share their local, indigenous ideas with their colleagues. Moreover, it has contributed to the inability of AGCOM to be used as an innovation creation tool, hence AGCOMs’ limited impact. Keywords: adoption, improved technologies, agricultural communication, increased productivity, information dissemination

Voices of ignorance versus voices of knowledge: Debates on English as medium of instruction in Malawian primary schools

Abstract In 2014, the Government of Malawi announced a new policy under which English would become the medium of instruction from the beginning of primary school. Previously, Chichewa or a relevant local language of wider communication were used as mediums of instruction. Using the notion of “voice” to analyze the new language policy, the paper distinguishes voices from above (government) and voices from below (the people). Embedded within each of the two voices are what can be called “voices of knowledge” and “voices of ignorance”. The paper argues that the new language policy is a deeply retrogressive step, one which reveals how in Africa, myths of English as the language of opportunity and internationalization prevail over voices of knowledge that are based on the conditions of effective learning in multilingual contexts.

‘If you kill tobacco, you kill Malawi’: Structural barriers to tobacco diversification for sustainable development

AbstractThere is growing recognition that diversifying away from tobacco farming can contribute to progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in lower‐ and middle‐income countries. However, diversification projects are often limited in scope and impact. This paper analyses structural barriers to tobacco diversification and opportunities to challenge them, based on the perceptions of those engaged in policy processes in Malawi, the most tobacco dependent country in the world. Through analysis of 11 key informant interviews, four structural barriers are identified: perceived economic importance, lack of alternatives, vested industry interests, and the polarised conflict between tobacco control advocates and farmers. Respondents suggest these might be overcome through import substitution, a focus on securing alternative markets, and the inclusion of tobacco farmers in global processes. In ratifying the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, the Government of Malawi would be able to access diversification support, build a positive relationship with the global tobacco control community and address industry influence.

Impact of Agricultural Communication Interventions on Improving Agricultural Productivity in Malawi

Agricultural communication (AGCOM) has been known to aid in disseminating research-based agricultural information among Malawian farmers. In 1958 the Malawi Government, via the Ministry of Agriculture, established the Agricultural Communications Branch (ACB) in an attempt to increase access to and adoption of scientifically-proven technologies among farmers. Moreover, in 2000 the Malawi Government started implementing an agricultural extension policy that promoted pluralistic demand-driven extension, which led to the increased availability of non-governmental organizations providing AGCOM services to farmers. However, after several decades of using different communication tools to promote new technologies, low productivity in most small holder farms remains a challenge, with limited adoption of improved technology as one of the contributing factors. In this exploratory, convergent, mixed methods study, 30 Malawian farmers and six AGCOM officers who were selected using convenient and snow ball sampling respectively participated in key informant interviews. In addition, 64 AGCOM officers who were selected using simple random sampling were involved in a survey. The findings of the study revealed that information delivered to farmers does not address farmer needs in most cases. Specifically, existing policies, source and availability of funding, and the agricultural calendar influenced choice of information that was disseminated. For example,the existing policy does not allow AGCOM officers to disseminate local and innovative farmer practices unless they are tested and approved by scientists. Such policies, perpetuates a mindset among farmers that innovations originate from outside their communities, thereby making it hard for them to share their local, indigenous ideas with their colleagues. Moreover, it has contributed to the inability of AGCOM to be used as an innovation creation tool, hence AGCOMs’ limited impact.

Assessing the economic impacts of post-harvest fisheries losses in Malawi

This paper presents the findings from a qualitative and quantitative fisheries value chain and post-harvest loss study conducted in four Malawian lakes: Malawi, Malombe, Chilwa and Chiuta. The research found that the estimated total value of the fisheries value chain was US $454 million in 2016 – or 7.2% of the projected 2017 GDP. This is over 2.5 times the previously reported (Government of Malawi, 2017) beach landing site value. The study found that 43%, 54% and 69% of fish have physical and quality losses at the beach, processing and marketing nodes, respectively. However, high quality loss is not proportionately affecting economic loss. The fisheries value chain experiences less than 10% annual economic losses mainly due to low pricing sensitivity of existing products. The overall economic losses are nine percent, being highest at the beach node (19.3%) and smallest at the market node (2.1%). The main reason for this unusual relationship is that pricing is not sensitive to quality, which means that almost all types of quality of product is sold resulting in a recorded relatively low overall physical loss of 4.1%. An important conclusion of the assessment is that even though the economic losses are relatively modest in relation to the total value, the quality losses, which range between 43% and 69% depending on the node, indicate that the potential for health impacts and nutritional value loss are high throughout the value chain. Value chain improvements are recommended to provide economic and nutritional benefits for end-users and value chain actors.

Integrated Family Planning and Immunization Service Delivery at Health Facility and Community Sites in Dowa and Ntchisi Districts of Malawi: A Mixed Methods Process Evaluation.

The Government of Malawi’s Health Sector Strategic Plan II highlights the importance of service integration; however, in practice, this has not been fully realized. We conducted a mixed methods evaluation of efforts to systematically implement integrated family planning and immunization services in all health facilities and associated community sites in Ntchisi and Dowa districts during June 2016–September 2017. Methods included secondary analysis of service statistics (pre- and postintervention), focus group discussions with mothers and fathers of children under age one, and in-depth interviews with service providers, supervisors, and managers. Results indicate statistically significant increases in family planning users and shifts in use of family planning services from health facilities to community sites. The intervention had no effect on immunization doses administered or dropout rates. According to mothers and fathers, benefits of service integration included time savings, convenience, and improved understanding of services. Provision and use of integrated services were affected by availability of human resources and commodities, community linkages, data collection procedures and availability, sociocultural barriers, organization of services, and supervision and commitment of health surveillance assistants. The integration approach was perceived to be feasible and beneficial by clients and providers.

Translating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into Chichewa: A Quick Efficacy Assessment

This paper purposed to analyse the efficacy of the Chichewa version of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the government of Malawi, through the Department of Information, recently produced. Language barrier remains one of the main reasons for the SDGs’ unpopularity among the majority of Africans. This leaves most Africans unengaged in the goals’ implementation process. Mindful of this, many African countries have embarked on projects to translate the SDGs into indigenous African languages. In Malawi, the SDGs were translated into the local languages in 2018. This study sought to conduct a quick review of the entire project to ascertain its effectiveness against the background that previous translations of various policy and other public documents are replete with substantial communicative flaws. How then was the project to translate the SDGs into Chichewa uniquely designed to ensure positive outcomes? What strategies did the translators use to ensure effective localisation of the SDG document given its international nature? To answer these and other key questions, the researchers collected data through Key Informant interviews and document analysis. The data was analysed within the framework of Farrahi Avval’s taxonomy of communication strategies. The study found that both linguistic and non-linguistic communication strategies were used in the translation. Both of these strategies were marred by serious shortcomings that have the potential to prevent effective communication from taking place. The study, thus, concludes that the information in the Chichewa version of the United Nations’ SDGs remains largely inaccessible to the illiterate and semiliterate Malawians.

Decentralization: the key to accelerating access to distributed energy services in sub-Saharan Africa?

The decentralization of governance is increasingly considered crucial for delivering development and is being widely adopted in sub-Saharan countries. At the same time, distributed (decentralized) energy systems are increasingly recognized for their role in achieving universal access to energy and are being promoted in sub-Saharan countries. However, little attention has been paid by governments and energy practitioners to the dynamic interrelationships between national and local government and the role of governance decentralization in transitioning to distributed energy systems. This paper traces the complex relationships between accelerated delivery of distributed energy and decentralized local governance systems. The argument is grounded in an exploration of two different approaches to decentralized energy systems governance in Kenya and Malawi. For Kenya, analysis focuses on the energy sector since the adoption of the new decentralized constitution in 2010. In Malawi, it focuses on the involvement of the authors in piloting Local Authority Energy Officers in districts under the decentralization of Malawian energy policy. Our analysis shows that accelerating the speed and scale of implementation for distributed energy systems and enhancing their sustainability and socio-economic impacts is directly linked to the quality of local and national governance structures and their interrelationships. The paper extends existing work in energy and evidence literacy for policy actors by developing an analytical framework, to enable more effective local governance within energy access initiatives in the Global South.

Influence of Selected Institutional and Technological Factors on the Adoption of Sustainable Agriculture Technologies in Maize Farming in Mzimba South, Malawi

Sustainable Agriculture Technologies (SATs) significantly contribute to addressing the negative effects of land degradation, poor soil health and climate variability in the agriculture sector. Despite efforts made by different stakeholders in promoting SATs to improve maize productivity in Mzimba South in Malawi, the adoption of the technologies among small-scale farmers remains unsatisfactory. As a result, most of the farmers continue to realize low maize yields. A survey was conducted from July to September 2019 to investigate the influence of selected institutional and technological factors on the adoption of SATs in maize farming among the small-scale farmers in Mzimba South. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a representative sample of 132 small-scale maize farming household heads. Data was collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire. Multivariate probit, ordered probit and ordinary least square (OLS) models were applied to determine the influence of the selected factors on the adoption of SATs at α level of .05 using STATA and SPSS. Qualitative data was analyzed by a deductive approach, in which responses were categorized and summarized under the related themes. The study established that the adoption of SATs was significantly influenced by membership in farmer organizations (FOs), access to extension services, and the levels of relative advantage and complexity associated with the SATs. The findings of the study implied that the Government of Malawi and relevant stakeholders in the agriculture sector need to train and recruit more extension field staff to improve coverage and frequency of extension services delivery on sustainable agriculture. The stakeholders should also promote affiliation of the small-scale farmers to FOs to improve access to agricultural extension services and production resources on sustainable farming. In addition, efforts should be made to develop and promote affordable mechanization options for reducing farm drudgery associated with the implementation of SATs. Furthermore, the Government of Malawi should facilitate the formulation, enactment, and enforcement of local by-laws for safeguarding the SATs and their related inputs (or raw materials) against vandalism, livestock damage, and bushfires.

From Watchdog to Lapdog: Political Influence of China on News Reporting in Malawi

The arrival of China in Malawi has been characterised by a growing sense of uncertainty among academics who have expressed concern over the intentions of the superpower in the country. There are fears that China would like to extend its influence to Malawi as part of a broader push to increase its influence in global politics and economics. That push is in part exercised through the media. This study analyses the perception of Malawian journalists on news media reports of Chinese activities in Malawi. It uses content analysis to understand how the mediascape had changed from 2001-2007 when China had not yet established diplomatic relations with Malawi, and the period from January 2008-2020 in which diplomatic relations with China have existed. The article examines the shifts in journalistic representations of China in Malawi and develops prompts and probes from which journalist interviews were conducted. From the content analysis, it appears that from 2001-2007, Malawian media, especially The Daily Times, was very negative about China, uncritically reproducing Western representations of China. This changed after January 2008 when the press leaned towards an acknowledgement of Chinese activities. Through interviews journalists have indicated that the Chinese government offers certain opportunities such as exchange visits to journalists, making it difficult for them to bite the hand that feeds them. This ‘soft power’ is backed up by the repressive power of the Malawian government that uses intimidation to force journalists to report in their favour, thereby helping to create a positive image for China in Malawi. Journalists report that the significant shifts in journalistic representations of China have been mirrored by changes in the conceptualisation of journalistic roles in Malawi’s mediascape.

Educating for marginalization: normative implications of the Malawian medium of instruction policy

In 2014 the Malawian Government amended its education policy to make English the sole medium of instruction from basic primary level to tertiary level. Prior to the amendment, the policy stated that the medium of instruction for the first four classes of basic education should be the dominant vernacular language in the local area, given Malawi's multilingualism. This paper critically examines the normative implications of the current policy. Using Seyla Benhabib's (2011) theory of communicative or concrete universalism, the article argues that this policy preserves and perpetuates a duo-pronged form of marginalization. In the first sense the policy marginalises the unprivileged majority students and communities for whom English is not even a second language, but also have almost non-existent opportunities for engaging the English language outside the school domain. The second form of marginalization occasioned by this policy pertains to the ultimate devaluation and extinguishing of concrete local ways of being human that are expressed through local culture, art and literature in favour of those associated with the English language. It is argued that such systematic forms of marginalization are a result and perpetuation of colonial behaviour that undermines local cultures, literature, and ways of being human as the necessary cost for having globally relevant education. Ultimately, it is contended that an ostensible need for choice for globally relevant education between the indigenous local and the Eurocentric global poses a false dilemma. Instead, ideal globally relevant education ought to centre on both local and global interests as a matter of moral necessity. The paper, therefore, proposes as a remedy to the moral ills caused by this policy, multilingual and translanguaging approaches to both national language and language of instruction policies. In this vein, an argument is made for deliberate, sustained and systematic support from the Malawian government towards the enhancement of local languages and local art and literature.

Tackling girls dropping out of school in Malawi: Is improving household socio-economic status the solution?

This study used primary data from rural primary schools in Malawi and administrative data from the Malawi Education Management Information System to explore the impact of school bursaries and socio-economic status on girls dropping out of school. Lack of money to pay for school fees was a major reason for the high girl school dropouts. School bursaries appeared to help keep more girls in school and girls from households with better socio-economic status were less likely to drop out of school. The Malawi Government and its development partners should extend bursaries to needy girls in all secondary schools. Promotion of programmes that enhance household socio-economic status in rural areas should enable households to be financially capable of schooling their children.

Effects of Nitrogen and Carbon Application on Maize Output in Ntcheu and Dedza Districts of Central Malawi

This paper uses a translog stochastic frontier model to estimate the relationship between maize yield and an interplay of soil carbon, soil nitrogen and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer using plot-level data collected from smallholder farmers in Dedza and Ntcheu Districts of Malawi in 2013/2014 growing season. One of the covariates in the model is nitrogen applied to a plot from inorganic fertilizers. Farmer use of nitrogen is influenced through participation in a non-random targeted Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP) of the Malawi Government. A control function approach is therefore applied to correct for possible endogeneity of participation in the FISP.Results show that inorganic nitrogen fertilizer has significant positive effect on maize output whereas an increase in soil carbon is associated with low maize output but interaction between soil carbon and soil nitrogen as well as with inorganic nitrogen significantly increases maize output. These results seem to be linked to Carbon to Nitrogen (C:N) ratio in the soil. The accumulation of C beyond the optimal C:N ratio is known to reduce rate of decomposition, nutrient cycling, shoot: root ratio and biomass in grasses including maize. Under such circumstances, increasing nitrogen brings the C:N ratio to beneficial levels. The results further show that inorganic nitrogen is a substitute to labour, seed and land. The substitution relationship suggests that improvements in inorganic nitrogen require reduction in labour, seed use and land. It has further been shown that only 45.03% of the plots have marginal value cost ratios of greater than one which shows that considerable number of plots are not profitable. For 66.20% of the plots, applied inorganic nitrogen fertilizer exceeds optimal levels signifying suboptimal use of the input. The results suggest that inorganic nitrogen is profitable at low levels of application which is largely due to prevailing high nitrogen-maize price ratio. The prominent issue for policy consideration from these results is that soils in Malawi are depleted of nitrogen leading to unfavorably high C:N ratios which negatively impact maize production. Given that nitrogen-maize price ratio is already high in Malawi, farmers will need programs that enhance their access to nitrogen fertilizers at low prices for nitrogen fertilizer application to be profitable. Such programs need to be implemented simultaneously with a package of intensification practices that fix and retain nitrogen in the soil. Keywords: Inorganic nitrogen, Soil carbon, Soil nitrogen, Translog stochastic frontier model, Control function approach DOI : 10.7176/JESD/11-2-04 Publication date: January 31 st 2020

The impacts of agroforestry on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in low-and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map.

The impacts of agroforestry on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in low-and middle-income countries: An evidence and gap map.

Towards e‐judicial services in Malawi: Implications for justice delivery

AbstractIn Malawi, the judiciary rolled out an electronic case management system in 2015 in response to the ongoing public sector reforms being championed by the Malawi Government. In this study, we employed the information systems (IS) success model to systematically investigate the benefits that an electronic case management system has brought about to the judiciary of Malawi. Specifically, three themes are pursued as follows: the services offered through an electronic case management system in the judiciary of Malawi; benefits of an electronic case management system; and challenges affecting the use of an electronic case management system in the judiciary of Malawi. Methodologically, the study is guided by a survey design and a questionnaire was used to collect data from various staff in the judiciary including judges, court clerks, court registrars, and information technology personnel. The study reveals that the implementation of an electronic case management system has impacted positively on the security of court files by easing the tracking and retrieving of case files thereby contributing to efficiency in justice delivery. However, the implementation of an electronic case management system has not been spared from challenges, which include frequent loss of network and poor Internet connection.

Sifting through the weeds: Understanding heterogeneity in fertilizer and labor response in Central Malawi

Despite heavy subsidies provided by the Malawian government, input use remains low. Estimated maize response rates to fertilizer vary widely across studies, raising questions about the sources of this variability and whether fertilizer is generally profitable for most smallholder farmers at commercial prices. This study uses survey and soil data from farmer-identified most and least fertile maize plots in Central Malawi to explain the heterogeneity in maize response to inputs and to determine whether this heterogeneity explains low uptake of commercial fertilizer. We estimate maize yield functions to characterize the range of maize response to fertilizer and weeding labor at locations that vary from marginal to mesic environments and show that differences in productivity persist with a plot-level fixed effect and are not solely attributable to farmer skill. Using a range of price scenarios and classifying soil fertility by total organic carbon levels, we find that fertilizer is more profitable on low fertility plots, while current levels of weeding labor are more likely to be profitable on the high fertility plots. The largest variation in profitability occurs between plots, rather than price scenarios, highlighting the importance of policies to improve soil fertility and address constraints to use of complementary inputs.

How can we effectively build capacity to adapt to climate change? Insights from Malawi

ABSTRACT Despite significant investments in capacity building across sub-Saharan Africa, to date no rigorous assessment has been undertaken to interrogate the extent these efforts have effectively translated into planning and implementing climate change responses. Through qualitative data obtained from interviews with 12 Malawian government and non-government training participants and their 12 supervisors, and 12 providers of various adaptation-related training and education programmes attended, this study investigates the design, content and methodologies effective in building capacity for climate change adaptation. Findings indicate that long-term education and short-term training have complementary roles in influencing design and implementation of successful adaptation practices. Short-term training workshops are most useful when customized to particular needs of participants, are participatory in design and implementation and tailored using context-specific examples. Action planning, on-the-job training and continued mentorship after training are also effective, but are rarely used. Challenges that impede effective capacity building relate not only to training design and structure, but also the inadequacy of training needs assessments and the organizational structure in which trainees attempt to put their skills and knowledge into practice. More rigorous coordination and monitoring of training efforts-and appropriate institutional support for action following training sessions are essential to enhance adaptation planning across sub-Saharan Africa.