Industry
High Value Crops
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
On a public scale, the findings of the Technical Report were introduced within a series of Op-Eds produced by the NPC within the Daily Times and the Nations Newspaper. The OpEd outlining the findings ran on March 23, 2021. On March 31, 2021, the Government of Malawi announced a temporary lifting of the Maize Export Ban - a key recommendation of the report. Subsequently, on April 15, 2021, the NPC hosted a Media Panel on Encouraging Agricultural Exports in Malawi. Panelists included the Hon. Simplex Chithyola, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade, and Christina Chatima, Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Trade. The Panel received wide coverage by the Media, with more than three newspapers discussing the findings within the coming week.
Land Titling
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
On August 30th, 2021, the NPC Malawi hosted a Media Panel to promote the findings of the Malawi Priorities Technical Report on Land Titling. The panel was widely attended, with virtual attendees numbering nearly 50 in addition to numerous attendees physically present.
The discussion came on the heels of Parliamentary discussions surrounding the development and drafting of Malawi’s first 10 year Implementation Plan - MIP1, which set out implementation of activities toward the achievement of MW2063. In addition to raising Land Titling as a potential flagship project, this discussion served to raise national awareness around the potential costs and benefits associated with implementing a Land Titling Program.
At the request of the NPC, Copenhagen Consensus also advised on the inclusion of Land Titling within MIP1, citing it as one of 8 key effective policies which would greatly contribute to Malawi’s socio-economic development, while boosting the overall Benefit Cost Ratio of MIP1 interventions. To this effect, Dr. Bjorn Lomborg also presented to the NPC Taskforce assigned to the deliberation of Flagship Projects on April 19, 2021, highlighting its importance in helping Malawi achieve MW2063, and the importance of prioritization among the potential Flagship Project inclusions.
In November 2021, MIP1 was finalized, approved, and released to the public for implementation. Notably, Land Titling which was originally not considered, has been identified as one of 19 Flagship Projects due to the influence of the Malawi Priorities Project. The net benefit of land titling is approximately $8bn, so if inclusion as a flagship raises the chance of successful implementation by just 1%, then the Project has generated $80 million in expected social value. This alone provides a substantial ROI on the project’s investment, at $60 for every $1 invested.
Food Security
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
The initial findings of the analysis on Food Security were presented to the at a Research Webinar on February 26, 2021. The findings of the finalized Technical Report were later presented directly to the Ministry of Agriculture by a delegation of the National Planning Commission, including Dr. Andrew Jamali, Research Director. As a product of this Policy Dialogue, the following were determined as Next Steps in implementation of the report’s policy recommendations:
The government should consider including PIC bags in the Affordable Input Program (AIP) so as to enable scaling up of use of the bags and prevent post-harvest losses.
The implication on the AIP budget was also discussed, and the recommendation was that the proportion of AIP as fertilizers and seeds should be reduced to accommodate interventions that reduce post-harvest losses of produce, such as the use of PIC bags.
It was recommended that going forward the Commission should be considered for inclusion into the Ministry’s monthly policy innovation forum/seminar where it could disseminate more of its research findings to inform policy formulation and implementation.
There is a need to conduct a political economy analysis of why successful projects that are piloted under projectized initiatives are not domesticated and upscaled by the government.
National Resource Management
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
On October 4, 2021, the NPC Malawi hosted a Media Panel to promote the findings of the Malawi Priorities Technical Report on National Resource Management and received higher than average media coverage. This Media Panel was featured predominantly on major TV networks such as the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Times Television and print media like Nyasa times and Daily times.
Industry and Youth
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
The findings of the Technical Report on Industry and Youth were presented through a Policy Dialogue directly to the National Youth Council and the MInistry responsible for Youth in Malawi by a delegation of the National Planning Commission, including Dr. Andrew Jamali, Research Director. Evidence was given to the National Youth Council and the Ministry responsible for Youth in Malawi to inform the development of sectoral policies that speak to job creation. The research findings were also used to inform the National Youth Council and the MInistry’s efforts to develop policies and programmes which support the current administration's job creation agenda;
Fisheries and Oceans
Key Findings:
Technical Report
Policy Brief
Key Outcomes:
The Technical Report and Policy Brief for Fisheries and Oceans was approved by the National Planning Commission in July 2020. The findings were uploaded to the NPC’s website, AFIDEP’s website, and the website of the Copenhagen Consensus. All three organizations have promoted the launch of the report across various social media platforms, including twitter and LinkedIn. Additional dissemination activities are planned for 2022, in order to ensure the policy-making environment is not over-saturated with Malawi Priorities products in 2021.
