Malawi Agricultural Sector Wide Approach Support Project Multi Donor Trust Fund

General

2.1. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve the effectiveness of investments aimed at food security and sustainable agricultural growth, and [GEF Global Environment Objective] strengthen the natural resource base in agricultural lands, through a doubling of the area under sustainable land management as a basis for securing ecosystem services and sustainable agricultural productivity. 2.2. The main purpose of the MDTF is to increase the ASWAp-SP impact on food security and growth by scaling up on-going activities with a particular attention to: (a) Strengthening MoAFS administrative systems, particularly at the district level with a stronger focus on monitoring and evaluation systems; and strengthening MoAFS's capacity to implement the ASWAp and (b) Enhancing FISP organization and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, with a stronger focus on maize and legumes seeds availability; Increasing the nationwide coverage of research and extension activities to reach out to more farmers and to increase FISP payoffs and sustainable impact on smallholders; and Improving the efficiency of agricultural research and extension services while promoting a more pluralistic approach to delivering these services. 2.3. In addition, the MDTF will also help develop the following additional activities: (a) Diversify the maize-based production systems by: (i) extending the current research and extension approach to other important crops (with a particular focus on pulses/legumes, important for nutrition and growing local and regional markets); and (ii) improving legume crop production and marketing, and ensuring availability of sufficient certified legume seeds to meet increasing demand both within and outside of FISP. (b)Improve the agricultural business environment and promote agribusiness partnerships in support of agricultural diversification, a more market oriented agriculture and integration into agricultural value chains and regional markets. and (c) Improve market access to the most productive agricultural areas through the improvement and sustainable maintenance of feeder roads.