From 10th to 21st February 2025, Transformative Initiative (TI) team, comprising CISANET, CSONA, GIZ, and Mwapata conducted a follow-up workshop to assess the progress made by civil society organization networks (CSOs), District Nutrition Coordination Committees (DNCC) and District Agriculture Extension Coordinating Committees (DAECC) in implementing food systems transformation initiatives. The workshop intended to identify successes, challenges, and potential solutions to address the obstacles hindering food systems transformation in Chikwawa, Mzimba, and Dedza districts.
Since its inception, the project has equipped CSOs, DNCC and DAECC members with diverse skills and expertise, enabling them to design and implement various initiatives across the food value chain aimed at addressing food insecurity issues. These initiatives include engaging communities in the use of organic fertilizers, promoting backyard gardens, promoting market linkages between farmers and companies, adopting environmental conservation practices and conducting stakeholder engagement meetings to discuss joint efforts to transform food systems.
The project has yielded positive impacts, with communities adopting new farming practices, planting fruit trees, practicing livestock management, and practicing crop diversification which are believed to contribute to the reduction of hunger and malnutrition in their respective communities.
However, the workshop identified several existing challenges that hinder food systems transformation in all the three districts. These challenges include a lack of financial resources, resistance from some community members to adopt climate-smart agriculture, inadequate coordination among stakeholders, limited engagement of the private sector in food systems initiatives, and insufficient information sharing among key players.
To address these challenges, the workshop emphasized the importance of multi-sectoral collaboration and coordination, proper utilization of committees at both district and community levels on issues of food systems and frequent engagement between public and private sectors. By fostering these partnerships, food systems transformation can be accelerated, promoting good health, and contributing to the country’s socio-economic development.