Projects and flagship initiatives in Malawi
Our current work in Malawi now encompasses major programs such as the Business Acceleration for Youth Project which strengthens micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across multiple sectors to drive job creation and economic diversification; the Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems Initiative that develops climate-resilient systems such as the approved Mbili-Mbili intercropping; the global Breeding for Tomorrow initiative; the Scaling for Impact flagship that positions Malawi as a core learning site; and the Breeding to Business Project that strengthens market systems for smallholder farmers.
Business Acceleration for Youth Project
Business Acceleration for Youth Project is a four-year, innovative initiative implemented by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. Framed around a resilience-led sustainability strategy, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of youth and women-led business startups in Malawi’s southern region including Mangochi, Balaka, Machinga, Zomba, Chiradzulu, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Mulanje and Thyolo districts through the delivery of business incubation services creating growth-orientated, sustainable firms able to secure and effectively utilize investment.
At the national level, the project also supports established small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by offering tailored technical support, industry-specific mentorship and access to finance. The goal of the project is to accelerate and invest in youth-led startups and SMEs to drive job creation, strengthen access to financing, diversify incomes, build an inclusive private sector and improve household resilience in targeted districts.
The project supports enterprises operating in a range of sectors including agriculture, agro-processing, sustainable energy, digital and ICT products and services, among other sectors.
Project Approach
1. Incubation program
The project has supported 500 early-stage startups that are youth-owned (ages18-35), across nine rural and urban implementation districts (Balaka, Chikwawa, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mangochi, Mulanje, Nsanje, Thyolo and Zomba. The incubation program includes:
- Development of business models, proof of concept testing to develop minimum viable products and internal business structure establishment,
- Mentorship and coaching by Malawian Business Development Service (BDS) providers delivered through business bootcamps and one-on-one coaching,
- Competitive pitch events with 200 startups awarded $2,500 each to launch or scale their businesses.
2. Acceleration program
This component supports 61 SMEs which have moved beyond the early phase and can no longer grow solely based on the reinvestment of internal revenues. To maximize their growth phase, they need external investment. The goal is to support SMEs secure financing to accelerate their growth and reach their full potential through provision of bespoke technical assistance and mentorship. The acceleration program includes:
- Providing customized technical assistance and mentorship,
- Facilitating access to private-sector financing,
- Connecting businesses with industry-specific expertise to accelerate growth.
3. Access to finance and investment
The project has a financing component that has achieved the following:
- 200 startups awarded $2,500 each to launch or scale their businesses under the incubation program,
- 60 SMEs under the acceleration program received $10,000 worth of technical support to collaborate with Business Development Services providers on key areas such as business plan development, financial management and audit readiness, marketing research and strategies, standard operating procedures, investment readiness and pitch decks,
- 28 SMEs awarded matching grants of up to $75,000 under the acceleration program.
Project Targets
- 500 youth-led startups supported to improve their business management and entrepreneurship skills through business incubation training
- 65% of total activities delivered through Malawian firms
- 50% increase in jobs created by targeted enterprises
- 28 MSMEs access matching grants worth up to $75,000
- 200 startups awarded $2,500 each
- 61 MSMEs provided with bespoke technical assistance, mentorship and industry specific acceleration support
The technical support and grants provided through the Business Acceleration for Youth project have enabled supported startups and SMEs to create more jobs, increase their annual revenues, diversify revenue streams and strengthen the resilience of their households. See more here: Project Dashboard
Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming Systems
This is a research initiative led by CGIAR which supports equitable, transformative pathways for improved livelihoods in mixed farming systems through sustainable intensification tailored to specific agroecologies and socioeconomic contexts. In Malawi, the initiative is focusing on biofortification of maize, common beans and soybean under strip cropping systems. The following have been achieved in Malawi under this initiative:
Improved intercropping systems: The Mbili Mbili innovation was released by Malawi’s Agricultural Technology Clearance Committee for farmer use. It enables farmers to harvest more diversified and nutritious food per unit of land. Trials in four major farming systems tested combinations such as maize-bean-pigeon pea, maize-soybean-pigeon pea, and maize-groundnut-pigeon pea, including biofortified, high-zinc varieties, forages, and soil water conservation practices. Results showed higher yields and strong alignment with farmer preferences. The system promotes legumes, soil health, crop-livestock integration, nutrition, and climate resilience. Gender assessments highlighted enhanced joint decision-making and shared benefits.
Multipurpose livestock forages: Intercropping maize and groundnut with high-protein forages for livestock feed such as Mucuna pruriens, Crotalaria, and drought-tolerant Brachiaria addresses to improve both livestock nutrition and soil erosion. Participatory simulation experiments integrating forages with contour ridges assessed their effectiveness in conserving soil and water while supplying livestock feed. Four Brachiaria hybrids are under evaluation across five sites for biomass and growth performance. These efforts aim to restore land, strengthen crop-livestock integration, and improve income and nutrition.
Contextualized soil fertility recommendations: A national agronomy and soil database is under development to enable FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) data sharing and tailored agronomic advice. It integrates harmonized data from public, private and research entities. Multi-institutional consultations have been initiated to support data sharing, with a web-based hub being developed under the leadership of DARS. This tool will support targeted recommendations to enhance soil health, productivity and incomes.
Scaling through multi-stakeholder engagement: Field trials are co-implemented with the Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) and local NGOs, with ongoing feedback through multi-stakeholder platforms. This approach addresses scaling barriers by combining technical innovations with social and institutional solutions. Partnerships with the District Agricultural Extension Support Services (DAESS) ensure that innovations are relevant, adaptable, and widely adopted.
Breeding to Business
With support from Irish Aid through Palladium, the Breeding to Business Project aims to enhance economic growth, food security and resilience among smallholder farmers by promoting sustainable agricultural practices, improved varieties and stronger private-sector partnerships that connect breeding innovations to real market opportunities.
The Breeding to Business Project, supported through strategic investments and partnerships, focuses on three core objectives:
- Economic growth: Promoting sustainable and profitable livelihoods for smallholder farmers, youth, and women by catalyzing resilience, enterprise growth, and agricultural investment across Malawi
- Food security: Improving food and nutrition security by diversifying income sources, enhancing productivity, and expanding access to improved and market-preferred crop varieties and technologies
- Environmental sustainability: Integrate climate-smart natural resource management and regenerative agriculture to protect land from degradation and deforestation, with a focus on protecting approximately 150,000 hectares of vulnerable landscapes.
Implementation Strategies
- Private-sector engagement: Strengthen collaboration with agribusinesses, processors, seed companies and financial service providers to build competitive value chains and expand farmers’ access to inputs, innovations, and markets
- Agroecological and climate-smart practices: Embed agroecological principles and climate-resilient technologies to improve soil health, enhance productivity, and promote environmentally sound agricultural systems
- Community involvement: Use participatory approaches that empower local communities in planning and implementation, integrating indigenous knowledge and promoting environmental stewardship and education.
Expected Outcomes
- Increased and diversified incomes: Approximately 500,000 Malawians are expected to increase and diversify their income sources through improved market access, adoption of profitable varieties, and participation in strengthened value chains
- Greater climate resilience: Enhanced resilience of smallholder farmers to climate shocks such as prolonged dry spells, erratic rainfall, and floods through the adoption of climate-smart practices and resilient crop varieties
- Support to local economies: Stimulated local economic growth through expanded investment in strategic and profitable agricultural value chains, driven by strong public–private partnerships.
Scaling for Impact
Scaling for Impact is a flagship CGIAR initiative dedicated to accelerating the widespread and sustainable adoption of agricultural innovations. The program will deploy transdisciplinary science and strengthen partnerships to deliver integrated solutions for global challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, and climate risks. As a designated flagship country, Malawi is central to this initiative, serving as a key site for demonstrating and implementing these scalable solutions.
This is CGIAR’s first program fully focused on scaling, aiming to position it as a global leader in ensuring agrifood innovations reach those who need them most. The initiative tackles critical barriers to change, including low adoption rates of new technologies, climate change, and growing inequality. Its ambitions are substantial: supporting over 62 million people globally, enabling climate-smart practices on 10 million hectares of land, and mobilizing $45 million USD in catalytic funding across more than 30 countries, with learning from Malawi's experience directly informing this broader reach.
A transformative approach to gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) is central to this mission, both globally and within Malawi. This involves integrating GESI principles into all research, co-developing scaling pathways with partners, and ensuring marginalized groups have equitable access to resources.
To achieve its goals, the initiative will provide interconnected support across CGIAR’s entire portfolio. It will collaborate closely with other programs in Malawi such as Better Diets and Nutrition, Breeding for Tomorrow, Climate Action, and Sustainable Farming, ensuring coherent and scalable solutions on the ground. The initiative will leverage CGIAR’s proven strengths by building capacity through partnerships with Malawi's national and local governments, agribusinesses, and financial institutions. By drawing on established credibility and extensive networks within the country, the initiative aims to minimize duplication and maximize long-term, transformative development impact for the people of Malawi and beyond.
Breeding for Tomorrow
Breeding for Tomorrow is a global CGIAR initiative dedicated to transforming food systems by developing a future-ready portfolio of climate-resilient, market-preferred, and nutrient-dense crops, livestock and aquatic species. This work is critical for regions facing significant climate and food security challenges such as Southern Africa, including Malawi. The initiative aims to make food systems in these areas more productive, resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
The initiative addresses pressing regional constraints such as the need for crops optimized for climate resilience and the challenge of boosting productivity without sacrificing nutrition. By integrating cutting-edge breeding technologies and strong partnerships, it works to strengthen seed systems and expand equitable access to improved varieties for farmers across Southern Africa.
Breeding for Tomorrow is built on ambitious, measurable outcomes, targeting a 29% reduction in chronic hunger and a 21% reduction in hidden hunger. A core commitment to gender and social inclusion ensures that breeding products are equitable and responsive to the needs of women, youth, and marginalized communities in Malawi and the wider region.
This work is deeply interlinked across the CGIAR portfolio, collaborating with initiatives like Climate Action and Scaling for Impact. The initiative draws upon CGIAR's proven expertise and its deep network of trusted partners in Southern Africa to deliver climate-smart, market-driven innovations that support economic growth and food security from the national to the regional level.
