In an effort to expand agricultural processing, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Ben Malunga Phiri met with the International Fund for Agricultural Development in New York, according to Nyasa Times. Phiri requested an additional $30 million in financing for the Transforming Agriculture through Diversification and Entrepreneurship programme. The funds are earmarked for completing the construction of seven rural growth centre markets to support commercial farming and reduce the country's reliance on imports.
Meanwhile, the government has set the 2025/26 minimum farm-gate price for chillies at K7,000 per kilogramme, making it the highest-priced crop in the country, Nation Online reports. Despite the lucrative pricing, local production remains low. Members of the Kasungu Chilli Cooperative and other farmers cite a lack of reliable international markets and absent government interventions, such as grants or affordable loans, as primary barriers to expanding production.
In Salima District, smallholder farmers are undergoing post-harvest management training to minimize crop losses, according to the United Nations Development Programme. Supported by European Union funding, the Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe m'Malawi project is training cooperative members in improved drying, storage, and handling practices to help them transition from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.