1. Discussions Points from the CISANET workshop Presented by Edson Musopole

2. Introduction  The meeting took place in Lilongwe – Sheaffer Conference Centre  Meeting Outline  Presentations from the experts  - situational analysis  Group Discussions – divided into two  -- Agro-economy issues  -- Macro-economic issues

3. Macro-Economy Issues

4. Macro-Economic Issues  What are the gaps?  Governance aspects  - Legal framework  –- articulate Constitutional freedoms & other freedoms e.g. “Right to Food”  -- remedial & punitive measures against ‘perpertrators’  - [Strong] Political will (to implement)/low interferance  - Accountability  - Commitment to set the environment working by Government

5. Macro-Economic Issues cont’d  Budgetary Allocations to Food Security  - Country agreements  –- commitment of Malawi Government to implement international agreements e.g. NEPAD’s 10% of budget for agriculture & food security etc.  - [National] resource allocation  -- low apportionment btwn admin. Vs. service delivery budget lines  Removal/tax exemption form agricultural inputs & equipment  -- spare parts etc.  Targetted production subsidies (as opposed to consumption subsidies)

6. Macro-Economic Issues cont’d Food Management  - Community Grain Banking  -- Macro (SGR) to microlevel (community) linkages  - Food Shortage  -- [Strong] Linkage of SGR facility to national food vulnerability  -- Food Aid not to undermine local production e.g. its effects on local producer prices  -- GM policy linked to ‘Right to Food’  -- Suggest changes to all policies that conflict food management issues e.g. open right to import vs. stimulating local production  -- Encourage local, regional sourcing of food

7. Macro-Economic Issues cont’d Food Management  - Disaster Management/Food Shortage cont’d  -- Encourage local, regional sourcing of food  -- Facilitating agencies (Govt., NGO) to change mind-set of recipients  -- Resolve conflicting nature of relief vs. development services -- transition from relief to development activities I.e. develop exit strategies

8. Macro-Economic Issues cont’d  Linkages  -- decentralisation emphasis  -- [Strong] Inter-ministerial linkages  -- links between macro policies with all relevant sectors – ‘challenge’  Micro-Credit Issues  - Lack of code of conduct  Conditions for Policy Feasibility  - Depoliticising food security issues/political will  - [Sufficient] Capacity to implement  - Diversify food reserves i.e. not only maize but other crops

9. Agro-Economy Issues

10. Agro-Economic Issues Information Systems  - Catalogue stakeholders involved in collection, processing, purposes and end-users of information  Link information systems with decentralised structures i.e. include grass-roots as end-users – strategies  Uniformity/standardisation of key/primary information  Development of guiding principles in collection and release of information

11. Agro-Economic Issues cont’d Nutrition  Situational Analysis  - Coordination lapse  -- different players doing it alone  -- situation: ’pockets’ of operations  Lack of nutrition knowledge amongst field staff  Field staff specialised in Nutrition lacking

12. Agro-Economic Issues cont’d Nutrition  Policy Actions  - Commitment by donors, Govt., NGOs to the establishment of a national structure on nutrition  [Intensive] Nutrition training of existing agricultural staff  Deliberate actions to mitigate HIV/AIDS  - HIV/AIDS mainstreaming at Ministry & hh level interventions

13. Agro-Economic Issues cont’d Agro-Economy  - At national level, recognition of livestock as a safety net measure  Agricultural intervention need to be multi-sectoral i.e. not only crop-based  Community empowerment to enhance food security & related issues  -- Community grainbanks, irrigation revolving funds, health & nutrition  -- Development & promotion of HIV/AIDS friendly technologies  -- Gender: recognition of women as major labour providers & reflect them in policies