Climate-smart agriculture in Malawi: why it matters now

Malawi’s agriculture sector sits at a vital turning point as climate change disrupts weather patterns, food systems and rural economies. Over 80% of the population depends on farming, much of it on small, rainfed plots.^[1][4] Climate‑smart agriculture (CSA) offers a practical way to keep fields productive, strengthen resilience to shocks and reduce the environmental footprint of farming.

Agriculture’s central role and climate vulnerability

Agriculture remains the backbone of Malawi’s economy, contributing around 30% of GDP and providing the main source of work in rural areas.^[6][14] Maize dominates as the staple crop, alongside tobacco, legumes and horticulture. Yet Malawi ranks among the world’s most climate‑vulnerable countries, facing recurring droughts, floods and cyclones that disrupt planting, damage infrastructure and undermine household food stocks.^[4][19]

Average temperatures are projected to rise by nearly 2 °C by mid‑century, while rainfall is becoming more erratic.^[4][11] Shorter growing seasons, heat stress and soil erosion – estimated at almost 29 tonnes per hectare each year in some areas – reduce maize yields and leave soils depleted.^[4][18] Women farmers, who often have less secure land rights and limited access to inputs, face yield gaps of up to a quarter compared with men.^[13][18]

What climate-smart agriculture means in Malawi

Climate-smart agriculture is an integrated approach built around three aims: increasing productivity and incomes, supporting adaptation to climate variability and, where possible, lowering emissions.^[4] Rather than prescribing one fixed package, CSA adapts practices to local ecological and social conditions.

In Malawi, CSA often includes conservation agriculture – minimal soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover with crop residues and diversifying crops through rotation or intercropping. Agroforestry systems add trees to fields and along boundaries to improve micro‑climates, provide shade and recycle nutrients. Farmers also work with drought‑tolerant and early‑maturing varieties of maize and legumes to reduce the risk of total crop failure when rains are late or end early.^[1][4][10]

Progress and challenges in scaling climate-smart practices

Despite clear benefits, CSA adoption in Malawi remains limited. Conservation agriculture, for example, is estimated to cover only around 1–2% of cultivated land nationally.^[4][15] Higher labour needs during the first years, the cost of inputs such as herbicides for no‑till systems, fragmented extension services and insecure land tenure all slow down uptake, particularly for vulnerable smallholders.^[18]

Targeted projects show that climate‑smart approaches can work at field level. The DeSIRA initiative and national partners have tested more than forty CSA technologies across Malawi’s main agro‑ecological zones, from maize–bean intercropping to alternatives to synthetic fertiliser.^[5][10][18] Field trials with over 1,500 farmers reported yield increases of more than 50% compared with conventional practice during dry spells.^[5] Organisations such as Tiyeni have developed deep‑bed farming to break up compacted soil, improve infiltration and rebuild soil health, reaching thousands of farmers and gaining wider recognition.^[2]

Work is also under way to improve livestock inventories and emission estimates for key species, an important step for accessing climate finance for more resilient, lower‑emission livestock systems.^[11]

Policies, partnerships and finance for climate-smart agriculture

CSA is now woven into Malawi’s National Adaptation Plan and agriculture policies, which emphasise productivity, irrigation and commercialisation alongside resilience.^[4][6][12] Recent reform efforts aim to improve input systems, strengthen markets and make it easier for farmers to invest in more resilient practices.^[9][14][17]

International partners provide grants and technical support for nature‑based solutions and climate‑resilient value chains. The Global Environment Facility, for example, funds landscape restoration and river‑basin projects that support both ecosystems and local livelihoods.^[3] UNDP works with national institutions to modernise climate information services so that seasonal forecasts and local observations can feed into day‑to‑day decisions on planting and risk management.^[3][20]

Private investment is starting to play a more visible role. The International Finance Corporation has partnered with Illovo Sugar Malawi to upgrade irrigation infrastructure, reducing water use by an estimated 34 million cubic metres per year and cutting emissions linked to energy use.^[7] Cooperation with the European Union and the Government of Flanders supports climate‑smart value chains, agri‑business development and more accessible finance for smallholders and co‑operatives.^[10][12][16]

Why climate-smart agriculture is a path forward

When farmers adopt climate‑smart practices, they are better able to maintain or increase yields under erratic rainfall, protect fragile soils and diversify income sources. This helps households smooth consumption, reduce distress sales of assets and invest more confidently in their land.^[4][11][15] At national level, wider CSA adoption can support emission reductions, more efficient use of inputs and a stronger case for green investment.

Realising this potential means addressing long‑standing barriers: affordable access to quality seed and inputs, timely extension support, inclusive finance and more secure land rights. It also means giving greater weight to women and young people’s perspectives, connecting indigenous knowledge with research and building partnerships that are transparent about roles, risks and benefits.^[13][18]

For ulimi.labs, CSA is not a single project, but a way of looking at decisions on and around the farm – from soil care and seed choice to landscape planning and data use. The question we keep asking is how climate‑smart ideas can fit everyday practice in Malawi’s fields in ways that are practical, shared and open to learning over time.