Isaac Jonathan Jambo

A CRITIQUE ON RESEARCH PRIORITISATION ON NEW BEAN MARKETS AND THE YOUTH IN MALAWI:

TRANSFORMING THE REGION

PRESENTATION OUTLINE

• INTRODUCTION

• RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• METHODOLOGY

• POSITION OF YOUTHS

• CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

INTRODUCTION

• Majority of Malawi's population are youths. 52 % of these youths are 18 and below

• This population of the youth is challenged by lack of skill development policies and programs by the country

• Majority of the youths involved in agricultural production are constrained by poor access to both input and output markets.

Bean productivity and consumption in Malawi

• Bean – important food and cash crop for SH farmers• Demand increase due to scarcity and high price of animal

protein• Its fast maturity period save as an insurance crop against

malnutrition and food insecurity• Malawi one of the highest consumer of beans in SSA with

percapita consumption of 5.6 kg per yr• However the production is too low to meet demand for

growing population and export

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• Agricultural research has for long focused on how to increase yield, improved bean seed technologies, improve bean varieties

• Research on how young farmers can take up these varieties up to bean markets both national and international has not been dwelled on much.

• However, young farmers have potential to grow and market the beans; regional change is possible

METHODOLOGY

• The study used secondary information

bean sub-sector analyses regulatory frameworks government reports on

bean markets, prices, consumption, production, related policies for Malawi, export and import data.

Involving the youths in bean research: where do we start from?

• ConstraintsLack of production resources – land, credit,

improved seeds at affordable price, Lack storage facilities, can’t access foreign

markets, weak supporting markets and trade facilitation, high transaction costs, poor price policies.

Lack research skills, production skills and agribusiness skills

Involving the youths in bean research: where do we start from? - contnd

• create conducive environment for the young farmers.

Improve on land policy, agri-production credit - availability and conditions, involve young farmers in bean seed research - PVS and pdn trainings, and improved bean seed sources

Improve markets and marketing conditions – improve storage facilities, improve access to foreign markets, improve price policies, trade policies on bean markets

Include young farmers in agribusiness trainings – understand bean seed supply chain and market research

Effective strategies for unlocking bean markets

• Domestic market young farmers need to take advantage of emerging bean seed

markets They need to venture into commercial bean seed production

and marketing to satisfy unmet demand by seed companies

• International market Malawi is a member of COMESA, SADC and WTO, beneficiary

of AGOA and EBA and is in bilateral agreement with Zimbabwe, Zambia and SA offer opportunities for increasing trade and investment in the region.

Conclusion and Recommendation

• Malawi need to support self employment for young farmers by providing credit

and technical adviseservice sector that link with agriculture and feed into

processing and manufacturing• We recommend a shift in research priorities by putting

forward workable methods on youth integration within research activities to utilize the bean market opportunities in the region