12
The importance of land-based solutions, such as sequestration of atmospheric
CO 2 in the terrestrial biosphere (Lal et al. 2018a), cannot be overemphasized. The
soil C sink capacity of 135 Pg (Lal 2018a), equivalent to the historic C loss from
soils of the managed ecosystems, is equivalent to CO 2 drawdown of 63 ppm.
Re-carbonization of the soil and the terrestrial biosphere has numerous co-benefits,
especially those related to advancing specific Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) of the United Nations (Lal 2018b; Lal et al. 2018b).
5 Value Addition for Smallholders
Malawi is a landlocked agro-based economy in sub-Saharan Africa with a per capita
GNP of just US $320 in 2017 (World Bank 2017) and is vulnerable to several external and internal shocks. About 84% of the population live in rural areas, and around
70% of the population live below the international poverty line of US $1.90 per day
(World Bank 2017).
Over the past decade, Malawi’s development progress has been negatively
affected by climate-induced shocks leaving the country in a cycle of vulnerability.
Malawi has experienced extreme droughts and floods, which have negatively
impacted agricultural production. This makes adaptation a priority area, as climate
change impacts disproportionately affect those least able to bear them. Climaterelated shocks, market failure, domestic political, and governance shocks have
collectively contributed to economic stagnation and a slow pace of poverty reduction (IMF 2018). The consequences are being felt through declining crop yields,
low animal productivity, increasing costs of production, and difficulties for the
economy to keep pace with population growth.
A significant proportion of the Malawi population faces serious nutritional deficiencies. Only 8% of children aged between 6 and 23 months meet their minimum
meal frequency, and 37% under the age of 5 are stunted due to malnutrition.
Malnutrition affects children’s health condition and learning possibilities and is a
severe challenge for Malawi’s overall development. This calls for an integrated food
systems approach that would address both food and nutrition security, including
dietary diversification and nutrition education.
Smallholder farmers face significant production and market constraints, poor
access to information, and inadequate public services, which adversely affect their
welfare and employment opportunities. Current land use practices are eroding the
capacity of the natural resource base to sustain productivity for current and future
generations, with extractive land use practices causing alarming rates of land degradation: loss of top soil averages 29 tons per ha per annum, and tree cover is declining at over 1% per annum.
According to Malawi’s Issues Report submitted to the UNFCCC, agriculture is
the key sector to achieve food security, economic growth, and wealth creation. More
than 80% of the country’s population is directly or indirectly employed in the sector.
This also accounts for nearly 90% of foreign exchange earnings and 39% of gross
B. R. Singh et al.
The importance of land-based solutions, such as sequestration of atmospheric
CO 2 in the terrestrial biosphere (Lal et al. 2018a), cannot be overemphasized. The
soil C sink capacity of 135 Pg (Lal 2018a), equivalent to the historic C loss from
soils of the managed ecosystems, is equivalent to CO 2 drawdown of 63 ppm.
Re-carbonization of the soil and the terrestrial biosphere has numerous co-benefits,
especially those related to advancing specific Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) of the United Nations (Lal 2018b; Lal et al. 2018b).
5 Value Addition for Smallholders
Malawi is a landlocked agro-based economy in sub-Saharan Africa with a per capita
GNP of just US $320 in 2017 (World Bank 2017) and is vulnerable to several external and internal shocks. About 84% of the population live in rural areas, and around
70% of the population live below the international poverty line of US $1.90 per day
(World Bank 2017).
Over the past decade, Malawi’s development progress has been negatively
affected by climate-induced shocks leaving the country in a cycle of vulnerability.
Malawi has experienced extreme droughts and floods, which have negatively
impacted agricultural production. This makes adaptation a priority area, as climate
change impacts disproportionately affect those least able to bear them. Climaterelated shocks, market failure, domestic political, and governance shocks have
collectively contributed to economic stagnation and a slow pace of poverty reduction (IMF 2018). The consequences are being felt through declining crop yields,
low animal productivity, increasing costs of production, and difficulties for the
economy to keep pace with population growth.
A significant proportion of the Malawi population faces serious nutritional deficiencies. Only 8% of children aged between 6 and 23 months meet their minimum
meal frequency, and 37% under the age of 5 are stunted due to malnutrition.
Malnutrition affects children’s health condition and learning possibilities and is a
severe challenge for Malawi’s overall development. This calls for an integrated food
systems approach that would address both food and nutrition security, including
dietary diversification and nutrition education.
Smallholder farmers face significant production and market constraints, poor
access to information, and inadequate public services, which adversely affect their
welfare and employment opportunities. Current land use practices are eroding the
capacity of the natural resource base to sustain productivity for current and future
generations, with extractive land use practices causing alarming rates of land degradation: loss of top soil averages 29 tons per ha per annum, and tree cover is declining at over 1% per annum.
According to Malawi’s Issues Report submitted to the UNFCCC, agriculture is
the key sector to achieve food security, economic growth, and wealth creation. More
than 80% of the country’s population is directly or indirectly employed in the sector.
This also accounts for nearly 90% of foreign exchange earnings and 39% of gross
B. R. Singh et al.