Malawi is one of the least-developed countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with high rates of food insecurity, stunting, and micronutrient malnutrition. Zinc deficiency is associated with a number of health problems in Malawi, including diarrhea, pneumonia, stunting, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Maize is the staple of the national diet, yet the zinc nutrition of maize-based diets is compromised by the presence of phytate, a potent inhibitor of zinc absorption. Phytate levels can be reduced by basic household processing methods such as soaking, germinating, and fermenting, thus increasing the rate of zinc absorption. Novel research on sustainable approaches to addressing malnutrition using these kinds of food-based methods is urgently needed. Using food consumption data from the Malawi Third Integrated Household Survey and the latest models to predict zinc absorption, this study estimates the proportion of the population at risk of zinc deficiency, with a focus on vulnerable sub-groups including women and children. Next, it uses a simulation model to estimate the effects of reducing dietary phytate through processing and compares those results to an alternative simulation based on biofortification. Finally, this study examines the practical considerations necessary to promote improved maize processing using a behavior change communication approach and estimates the cost-effectiveness of the intervention compared to alternatives. The study"'s findings indicate that the initially high proportion of people at risk of zinc deficiency in Malawi can be substantially reduced by processing maize to reduce phytate. Compared to biofortification, the impact of processing was greater for all regions and sub-groups, and the advantage of processing was more pronounced in the South and in rural areas. An intervention to promote these improved methods using behavior change communication and nutrition education compares favorably against alternatives on a cost-effectiveness basis. A thorough analysis of culture and gender norms, the decision-making context, and the drivers of food choice in Malawi suggest that an intervention to promote household-level maize processing can be culturally appropriate and scalable if the context is properly considered. Given these findings, food-based approaches such as household level food processing should be given greater attention in policy and practice to sustainably improve food security and health outcomes. / 1 / Gregory Sclama

xiv, 126 p. : ill., map. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number. / The government of Malawi is being lauded internationally for having ostensibly eliminated hunger within its borders through a subsidy that makes available chemical fertilizers to smallholder farmers. Development scholarship and policy have recently turned toward promoting a "new" Green Revolution in Africa for the establishment of food security and the advancement of economic development. Many view the increased use of chemical fertilizer in Malawian agriculture and the resultant rise in maize yieldsdescribed by such publications as the New York Times as the "Malawi Mirac1e"-as evidence that the prescribed NGR is indeed a recipe for success. This thesis places the subsidy in its historical and theoretical framework and discusses the extent to which production-end strategies accomplish the goals of food security. Also discussed are nonproduction measures that are essential to creating a reliable and accessible food system. / Committee in Charge: Peter A. Walker, Chair; Derrick L. Hindery

Even though agriculture is the backbone of Malawi‟s economy, food insecurity has remained a continuous threat among the poor. Until the 1980s, Malawi had been achieving national food security through an extensive system of agricultural inputs and marketing subsidies. However, these subsidies were removed and at the same time, the agricultural credit system collapsed. Consequently, agricultural productivity in Malawi remained low, poverty remained pervasive and food insecurity remains a main constraint to national and household food security. Therefore, the success of the agricultural sector in Malawi is very critical for raising the living standards and for food self-sufficiency. In this vein, the study hypothesized that Malawi can only achieve sustainable agricultural development if its agricultural policies are focused towards intensifying agricultural productivity through active participation of smallholder farmers. The major aim of the study was to contribute towards an improved understanding of how the issues of sustainable agricultural development have been addressed in Malawi and how they have influenced the lives of smallholder farmers. The analysis of the results revealed that even though what was implemented in the 1970s to early 1980s was financially unsustainable, but it provided some solutions to the fundamental challenges of smallholder development in Malawi. However, the liberalisations eroded whatever economic benefits achieved then. Never the less, the re-introduction of the agricultural input subsidies restored back the means of production leading to significant transformation of the country from a net importer to a net food exporter. On the other hand, although the agricultural input subsidy programme is being commended for having helped in achieving food security, the study revealed that the programme requires complementary services of credit, extension, research and market to support it. This will provide an exit strategy, which can enable the producers to sell their produce at higher prices sufficient enough for them to afford agricultural inputs without subsidies.

This case study investigated the impact of irrigation on household food security at Ibu and Kalizinje villages in Chingale, Malawi. The aim of the study was to investigate whether irrigation improved household food security. The study was qualitative in nature. Fifty-eight farmers and three World Vision field staff participated in the study. Group discussions with participatory techniques and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Data were analysed qualitatively using matrix/logical analysis. Irrigation improved irrigating farmers’ household food security through an increase in production and income levels. Irrigating farmers were better off in terms of crop production and income levels than non-irrigating farmers. Irrigating farmers planted irrigated maize two to three times a year, while non-irrigating farmers planted rain-fed maize only once a year. In terms of income levels, irrigating farmers produced more food than households required, and sold surpluses. Most irrigating farmers began cash cropping after the introduction of irrigation and also earned higher incomes, as irrigation enabled production of crops during lean periods and enabled them to sell surpluses at higher prices. Irrigation did not improve crop diversification. Non-irrigating farmers diversified crops more than irrigating farmers by planting groundnuts and sweet potatoes. Income from irrigating farmers did not increase dietary diversity and the acquisition of assets for irrigating farmers. Few farmers consumed a variety of foods and few acquired assets with the income derived from irrigation. Nevertheless, irrigation has the potential to smooth production cycles and provide food and income during seasons when food and income would be low. In addition, the study revealed the following as problems faced by farmers: constraining size of small diesel pumps, pump breakdown at Kalizinje, floods, pests and diseases, storage problems, lack of market places and poor roads, small land sizes, and expensive farm inputs. / Thesis (M.Sc..)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2008.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2001. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.