Blessings Chinsinga

District Assemblies in a fix: the perils of the politics of capacity in the political and administrative reforms in Malawi

This article appraises the prospects of District Assemblies institutionalising local governance structures and processes that are responsive, democratic and capable of improving the livelihoods of the poor. District Assemblies have been established against the backdrop of a radically reconstituted policy, governance and administrative framework following the transition from one-party rule to multiparty democracy in Malawi in May 1994. The underlying argument of this paper is that the potential success of the District Assemblies is effectively hampered by widespread self-seeking tendencies and orientations among various stakeholders in grassroots development, strategically veiled as lack of capacity on the part of the decentralised planning framework. Unless these seemingly idiosyncratic tendencies are subordinated to the underlying noble cause of the decentralisation policy and institutional reforms, the trinity of good governance, development and poverty reduction in the evolving structures and processes of local government will remain a virtually unattainable ideal.

Poverty and Food Security in Malawi: Some Policy Reflections on the Context of Crumbling Traditional Support Systems

ABSTRACT The twin problems of poverty and food security have become subjects of widespread public discussion in Malawi since the countrys momentous transition to democratic rule in May 1994, which saw the rise to power of the United Democratic Front (udf) government. The defining characteristic of the udf government is its avowed commitment to poverty alleviation as a lynchpin of its overall economic and social agenda. A Poverty Alleviation Program (pap) was launched in August 1994 to translate the udf governments vision of a new Malawi founded on equal political, social, and economic rights. Views from below could be instrumental in informing and framing these policy debates and dialogue at macro levels since they provide an appreciation of the institutional context in which the struggle for daily subsistence takes place. Policy interventions end up as mere hopeful statements of intent instead of pragmatic solutions if the actual problems of the poor are not central to the solutions.

The Green Belt Initiative, Politics and Sugar Production in Malawi

This paper critically examines underlying political economy dynamics of the expansion of sugar cultivation in Malawi within the framework of the Green Belt Initiative (GBI). This is being promoted in the context of a protracted legislative impasse in land reform efforts, targeting primarily land that belongs to smallholder farmers. The paper argues that the promises of employment, technology transfer and infrastructure development, as outlined in the GBI concept paper and touted in the outgrower sugar cane project, remain rhetorical. Communities in the investment sites are experiencing a destabilisation of social relations, precipitated by persistent violent confrontations with a coalition of elites. Corporate and elite interests have coalesced to press on with the GBI experiment, even though the welfare of smallholders is being undermined, and despite the growing resistance through both legal and extra-legal means. This political economy of sugar must be understood in relation to Malawi’s elite politics, a pattern that has persisted across successive regimes.

Slapping Accountability in the Face: Observance of Accountability in Malawi's Local Governments in the Absence of Councilors

Against the background of Malawi having had no councilors since the second quarter of 2005, this article aims at establishing the effects of the absence of councilors on the promotion of accountability as a tenet of good governance as espoused in the National Decentralization Policy. Adopting a mixed research design with a strong bias towards qualitative research methodologies, the article finds out that in the absence of councilors, observance of accountability by local governments has been negatively affected. The article argues that in the absence of councilors there has been reversal of accountabilities whereby horizontal accountability has been given more emphasis than vertical accountability; having a secretariat that is both a decision-maker and implementer of decisions has been a recipe for abuse of power; and interim mechanisms and emerging institutions responsible for advocating accountability are limited and a mockery of good governance.

Grabbing Land in Malawi

The distribution of land in Malawi is highly unequal and frequently inefficient. Large areas of land are underutilized in a context where many Malawian farmers would be able to put such land to productive use. In this context, the Malawian government has been slow and ineffective invundertaking land reforms, despite large demand for change both from investors and the local population. This chapter explores the role that grabbing of land in Malawi plays in contributing to this situation. We focus on various forms of malpractice, corruption or opportunistic behaviours associated with land transfers. We begin by briefly setting out the history and context of land in Malawi, and then discuss various types of land grabbing that occur currently. We highlight the problems that this form of corruption leads to, before moving to consider policy suggestions for both the government and donors. Finally, we conclude by attempting to draw out any lessons that this example may teach us about corruption more generally.

Agricultural Policy, Employment Opportunities and Social Mobility in Rural Malawi

Despite the youth accounting for more than half of the population of Malawi, they have been marginalized and pushed to the periphery of several development policy interventions. This article interrogates the question of how the youth and policy-makers view agricultural development as a means of social mobility for youth in Malawi. The paper argues that even though agricultural production is the main occupation in Malawi, young people do not value agriculture as a means of upward social mobility. Furthermore, youth and agriculture policy frameworks provide little support to youth in terms of access to affordable farm inputs, land, extension services, value addition initiatives, and markets. It is argued that Malawi is missing the strategic policy direction by not implementing non-traditional agriculture interventions that would engage the youth in a bid to reduce massive youth unemployment.

Narratives, climate change and agricultural policy processes in Malawi

ABSTRACT This paper focuses on interplay among narratives, climate change and agriculture policy processes in Malawi. The paper analyses emerging policy narratives about climate change and agriculture that are stimulating, shaping and influencing these debates. The motivation for this paper draws from an increasing number of government and non-government actors involved in climate change debates on agriculture with different starting points, narratives and goals. Based on extensive empirical data, the paper argues that prevailing narratives on climate change and agriculture in Malawi shape policy discussions and interventions that are implemented in both complementing and competing ways. Interests held by actors determine the policy trajectory in that where interests are colliding, policy interventions are competitive. Complementing policy interventions emerge where common interests exist among policy stakeholders. This is demonstrated by programmes that undermine ability of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change whilst others advocate for crop diversification and agricultural subsidies. The paper concludes that policies and programme activities are framed in diverse way depending on how climate change and agriculture issues are perceived and narrated as well as how power is exercised among different players, mainly, policymakers, donors and civil society organizations.