Malawi

Une fois de plus, le Malawi se trouve en difficulté. Une crise alimentaire causée par des précipitations irrégulières, la hausse du prix des denrées alimentaires et des difficultés économiques, s’installe durablement. Pour la première fois depuis plusieurs années, le pays risque de ne pas pouvoir subvenir aux besoins alimentaires de sa population. Le Malawi n’est malheureusement plus l’exemple de réussite agricole qu’il était devenu au prix de nombreux sacrifices. Par le passé, sa production de maïs lui permettait de nourrir ses habitants et d’exporter ses excédents vers les pays voisins. À présent, beaucoup se demandent quelles sont les causes de cet échec et si les autres pays africains pourraient en tirer des leçons.

This independent Assessment of Development Results in Malawi, conducted by the Evaluation Office of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is part of a series of country-level evaluations. The evaluation examined the UNDP contribution to Malawi’s development from 2002 to 2011 and provides forward-looking recommendations that are useful for the formulation of the new UNDP country programme in Malawi.

This study is part of a series of UNCTAD publications that focus on upgrading and diversifying specific agricultural sectors of rural economies in developing countries with a view to raising living standards among of smallholder farmers in a context of sustainable development, female empowerment and food security. Malawi is a Least Developed Country (LDC) where 70 per cent of its population live below the international poverty line of US$1.90 per day. Tobacco has traditionally been its principal export earner, with maize as a subsistence crop. A decline in tobacco exports due to health concerns has made it imperative to identify other promising agricultural sectors as a means of increasing foreign exchange earnings to support development. In this context, the government has highlighted sunflower, groundnut and soybean as priority sectors. The three crops offer a range of practical advantages: in crop cultivation through intercropping which adds to soil fertility; in value addition, offering a potential to tap into markets of edible oils and livestock feed; and, in diversifying away from traditional crops such as tobacco and maize, it allows the country to reduce its exposure to market shocks and climate change. This study analyses the three sectors in terms of opportunities derived from exports of primary and processed products, within a context of regional integration and LDC preferential access to developed country markets. It provides detailed information on the current and evolving trading regime between Malawi and its close regional partners, with a focus on both formal and informal trade, given that the latter accounts for a significant proportion of the country’s overall trade and notably involves female traders.

This report examines the role of economic and social policies in understanding the evolution of inequality and poverty in Malawi over the past three decades. Emphasizing the centrality of policy choices in addressing inequality, the report indicates that most of the key policies that Malawi has been implementing have contributed to reducing income inequality. However, their efficacy is being eroded by several factors including policy incoherence and infrastructure gaps.

Development Credit Agreement—Social Action Fund Project (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985). Signed at Washington on 15 May 1996

Agreement concerning financial cooperation. Signed at Lilongwe on 30 December 1992

Loan Agreement—Mudzi Financial Services Project (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Loan and Guarantee Agreements of the Fund dated 19 September 1986). Signed at Rome on 28 January 1994

Agreement concerning financial cooperation-Mua-Penga Penga Section of the Salima-Mua Road. Signed at Lilongwe on 26 February 1992

Agreement concerning financial cooperation. Signed at Lilongwe on 24 September 1994

Agreement concerning financial cooperation—EDDRP Project (with annex). Signed at Bonn on 2 September 1994

Development Credit Agreement—Primary Education Project (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985). Signed at Washington on 28 March 1996

The preparation of national accounts statistics in Malawi is undertaken by the National Statistical Office. The official estimates are published in a series of reports entitled "National Accounts Report".

The preparation of national accounts statistics in Malawi is undertaken by the National Statistical Office. The official estimates are published in a series of reports entitled "National Accounts Report".

Development Credit Agreement-Railways Restructuring Project (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985). Signed at Washington on 14 August 1995

Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning financial cooperation (Project: Structural Adjustment Programme VI, Commerce and Distribution) (with annex). Bonn, 13 September 1996

Agreement concerning the Malawi-Tanzania corridor transport system (with protocols). Signed at Lilongwe on 15 August 1987

Accord de crédit de développement — Projet d’aide à la planification et à la vulgarisation agricoles (avec annexes et Conditions générales applicables aux Accords de crédit de développement eu date du 1er janvier 1985). Signé à Washington le 20 décembre 1985

Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning financial cooperation (Projects: “Road Maintenance Programme. Phase II”; “Improvement of Chitipa Health Services”; “Zomba Urban Health Services"). Lilongwe, 2 September 1999

Development Credit Agreement (Second Social Action Fund Project) between the Republic of Malawi and the International Development Association (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985, as amended on 2 December 1997). Washington, 4 December 1998

Arrangement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning technical cooperation in the project “Integrated Food Security Programme Mulanje”. Lilongwe, 13 and 29 April 1999

ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF MALAWI CONCERNING TECHNICAL COOPERATION IN THE PROJECT “DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRINGE AREAS OF NYIKA NATIONAL PARK AND VWAZA MARSH GAME RESERVE”. LILONGWE, 10 SEPTEMBER 1996 AND 7 OCTOBER 1996

Development Credit Agreement (Second Fiscal Restructuring and Deregulation Technical Assistance Project) between the Republic of Malawi and the International Development Association (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985, as amended on 2 December 1997). Washington, 4 December 1998

Arrangement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning technical cooperation in the project “Development of the Fringe Areas of Nyika National Park and Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve”. Lilongwe, 10 September 1996 and 7 October 1996

Interim Fund Development Credit Agreement-Environmental Management Project (with schedules and General Conditions Applicable to Development Credit Agreements dated 1 January 1985). Signed at Washington on 12 September 1997

Memorandum of understanding between the United Nations and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning contributions to the United Nations Stand-by Arrangements System (with annex). New York, 28 January 2005

Agreement between the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Government of the Republic of Malawi concerning financial cooperation (Pro-jet: Secondary Centres Development Programme IV/V). Lilongwe, 7 April 1998

Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Malawi regarding the surrender of persons to the International Criminal Court. Lilongwe, 23 September 2003