Where we work:
Malawi

Strengthening food systems in Malawi

iCRA’s work in Malawi focuses on strengthening food systems through local leadership, collaboration, and capacity development. By supporting district-level actors and national stakeholders, we help improve coordination, decision-making, and long-term sustainability across the agricultural sector.

Empowering local governance: The STEP-UP! Malawi project

In Malawi, the iCRA–MDF strategic alliance delivers activities, in partnership with GIZ , the STEP UP! Project and national partners, to support district-level actors to take the lead in strengthening food systems governance. This includes building their capacity to plan, coordinate, and act in a more structured and inclusive way, grounded in local realities. Using practical tools such as stakeholder mapping and facilitated dialogue, we help actors better understand their roles, align priorities, and collaborate more effectively across sectors.

Advancing agroecological innovation in Sub-Saharan Africa

In parallel, our work connects to the DeSIRA LIFT+ initiative, which promotes agroecological innovation across Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative supports collaboration, knowledge sharing, and policy engagement to help scale sustainable agricultural practices. It also strengthens Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning systems and fosters communities of practice among African and international partners.

By linking local action in Malawi with regional agroecological learning and innovation, we contribute to more inclusive, resilient, and nutrition-sensitive food systems. Our approach focuses on building trust, strengthening relationships, and enabling stakeholders to lead their own transformation processes.