What does it really take to transform a food system? In this episode, we head to Malawi — the Warm Heart of Africa — to explore how strong governance, smart coordination, and community-rooted action are turning national vision into real change on the ground.
In Episode 32 of Bite the Talk, host Mark Gachagua is joined by two leaders at the heart of Malawi's food systems transformation journey — exploring how policy is being translated into action from the national level all the way down to the district.
Guests
Dr. Andrew Jamali — Director of the National Planning Commission, Malawi. Dr. Jamali is a seasoned socioeconomic development expert with over 22 years of experience in policy, research, and capacity building. He has led major national milestones including Malawi's first national research agenda, and brings deep expertise in food security, climate change, and innovation-led development.
Mrs. Vitowe Batch — Team Leader for the Step Up and TI Malawi projects at GIZ. Vitowe is a dynamic development leader with expertise in nutrition, WASH, and systems strengthening. She works closely with government and communities to translate policy into action and build sustainable, inclusive food systems.
In this episode, we cover:
Host: Mark Gachagua Guests:
Mark: Hello and welcome to Bite the Talk Podcast, where we explore the ideas, systems and leadership shaping the future of food systems across Africa and beyond. I'm your host Mark Gachagua. Today we are heading to Malawi, often called the warm heart of Africa.
And it's not just a nickname. Malawi is known for its hospitality, vibrant culture and one of Africa's most stunning natural features, Lake Malawi, which contains about 20% of the world's freshwater species. Agriculture is the backbone of the economy, employing over 70% of the population. Yet, like many countries, Malawi is navigating the complex challenge of transforming its food systems to be more resilient, inclusive and nutrition driven.
But what makes Malawi particularly interesting right now is this: it is emerging as a leader in food systems governance, showing that transformation is not just about projects, but about how systems are coordinated, led and sustained. And that's exactly what we are diving into today.
I'm joined by two incredible guests.
First, Dr. Andrew Jamali, the director of the National Planning Commission. Andrew is a highly experienced socioeconomic development expert with over 22 years in policy, research and capacity building. He has led major national milestones, including Malawi's first research agenda and brings deep expertise in food security, climate change and innovation-led development. Dr. Andrew, welcome to the podcast.
Dr. Jamali: Thank you so much, Mark.
Mark: I'm also joined by Vitowe Batch, team leader for the Step Up and TI Malawi projects at GIZ. Vitowe is a dynamic development leader with expertise in nutrition, WASH and systems strengthening. She works closely with the government and communities to translate policy into action and build sustainable and inclusive systems. Vitowe, welcome to the podcast.
Vitowe Batch: Thank you, Mark. It's also good to be here.
Mark: Just before we begin this wonderful discussion, I want to know — what is your food story? What was your favorite food growing up, Vitowe?
Vitowe: Thank you, Mark. That's an interesting question. Actually, it takes me back to my formative years. I must say maybe even food systems started working within me whilst I was young — the fact that I never had a particular food I would particularly enjoy. I would enjoy all types of food. But of course, as a child, usually vegetables are an issue.
But I must say there's a traditional food that is called Zitumbua in the local language — banana fritters, which most people can resonate with. You use bananas and maize flour mixed together, and it's fried using vegetable oil to produce a nice snack. For me, I used to look forward to eating that snack, especially when I would visit my grandma in the village. Thank you, Mark.
Mark: Fantastic. Did you say vitumbua?
Vitowe: Zitumbua, with a Z.
Mark: Yes, Zitumbua with a Z. Thank you! Maybe that's something I should try when I visit Malawi. How about you, Dr. Andrew? What did you enjoy?
Dr. Jamali: Well, personally, I'm someone who likes vegetables. Growing up, for a main course, I would go for fresh pumpkin leaves boiled in water and just adding raw tomatoes, a bit of salt — and having that with thick maize porridge. In my country, we call it Nsima. Sometimes other people call it Ugali in East Africa. That was my main course. If I want to enjoy eating, that would be it.
But I also love fruits — avocado pears and bananas especially. That's been my taste of food here in Malawi. Thank you.
Mark: Thank you very much. What you just described — all those ingredients — are very popular in the western part of Kenya. We can relate.
Mark: Today we're discussing food systems governance and how that looks in Malawi. I want the audience to understand the national vision when it comes to food systems. We have the Malawi 2063 plan, which sets a bold development vision for the country. Where does food systems transformation sit within this, and why has governance become such a central focus?
Dr. Jamali: Malawi has set itself to become an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation by 2063. That vision is built around three pillars:
These three pillars are anchored by five enablers: mindset transformation, effective governance systems, enhanced public sector performance, private sector dynamism, economic infrastructure, human capital development, and environmental sustainability.
When you look at the first pillar — agriculture, productivity, and commercialization — that's already food. The second pillar, industrialization, covers agro-processing, which aligns with the processing block of food systems. Then there is the consumption element, which connects to human capital development, and waste and loss management, which fits into the environmental sustainability enabler.
You can see that when we talk food systems in Malawi's context, we are already speaking our national vision. And so, when implementing food systems initiatives in the country — like the transformative initiative Vitowe works on — you are seamlessly implementing the country's vision.
Now, where is the transformation agenda fitting in? Malawi is in a precarious context. We've been battered with cyclones, fiscal mismanagement, climate change impacts, and some policy slippages around food access and distribution. The transformation agenda seeks to address food insecurity and poor nutrition outcomes — particularly for our young children — by diversifying production, improving processing, and strengthening livelihoods across the entire food systems chain.
Mark: Thank you, Andrew. Clearly, the national vision is deeply linked to food systems. Now, Vitowe, from your perspective — working closely with implementation partners, communities, and districts — how is this national vision being translated into action?
Vitowe: Thank you, Mark. As GIZ, we are glad that the vision itself provides a platform to support the government in strengthening food systems structures.
Let me begin by explaining that we enter this space because the BMZ — the German development ministry — has ending hunger as a priority area. Looking at Malawi 2063, that creates a clear basis for German government support.
For GIZ, our work is channeled through two projects, both financed by the German government:
The Step Up project specifically supports the government in translating national policies into action at the district level. At the moment, we are working in three of Malawi's 28 districts. But it is in our plans to scale up beyond those three. To do that, we are also generating evidence that can feed into national-level processes.
Our approach is fundamentally bottom-up — we start at the district level, feeding evidence into national processes to enable upscaling and cross-learning.
Mark: I love the bottom-up approach. It recognizes grassroots efforts, keeps development in touch with real challenges, and that's where the rubber meets the road.
Mark: Malawi is ranked 95th out of 123 on the Global Hunger Index — doing slightly better than Kenya at 103rd. What concrete structures has Malawi put in place to drive food systems transformation?
Dr. Jamali: In terms of structures, Malawi operates from policy to strategic framework to program levels. Here is the architecture:
1. The Convener — Minister of Agriculture Appointed by the State President in 2021. The Minister of Agriculture was expected to convene all actors in the food systems space to deliberate on issues impacting production, processing, distribution, consumption, and management — and to develop strategies to address them.
2. National Food Systems Steering Committee A cross-sector body at permanent secretary level, comprising government ministries, department heads, heads of corporations, and development partners. Its mandate is to provide policy and regulatory guidance on food systems programming.
3. Technical Working Group on Food Systems Comprising government ministries, agencies, academic institutions, development partners, private sector, media, and community members. Its mandate is to provide a programme of action, identify resources, build capacities, and oversee monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.
4. Sub-Technical Working Groups There are about six, focused respectively on: food systems policy, food systems research, monitoring and evaluation, resource mobilization, and capacity building.
5. District-Level Structures Efforts have been made to cascade this architecture to the district level — the local planning area — where multisectoral committees comprise sectoral planners, NGOs, and local private sector agencies. Their role is to ensure food systems initiatives are inclusive and participatory, and to localize the agenda.
Mark: You've actually answered my next question too — how do we link national to local? That marriage is very healthy when it comes to governance systems. Vitowe, what does food systems governance look like at the district level?
Vitowe: Thank you, Mark. At the district level, we have different sectors coming together in a multisectoral platform. We realize that without coordination, these sectors operate in silos. And if they continue to operate in silos, we miss the mark on food systems transformation.
These sectors include transport, health, trade, gender, and any other sector relevant to food systems. They all come together in one space and deliberate on critical issues. They each have their own mandates, but they converge to have conversations critical for transformation.
For us at GIZ, sitting in those spaces allows us to support districts in steering their food systems toward transformation. Ultimately, what we are trying to build is a system that aligns actors, priorities, and investments — bringing resources, mandates, and sector priorities into coordination.
Mark: Now let's shift gears toward financing and sustainability. In a world of conflict, climate shocks, and dwindling donor aid — how are food systems sustained beyond project support?
Vitowe: You raise an important point. Malawi has been affected by the withdrawal of major donors. But we're grateful that German support continues in the food systems space.
When it comes to GIZ, sustainability is built in from the beginning — not just at project phase-out. For example:
The TI project focused on engaging local actors: we worked with CISONA (Civil Society for Nutrition Alliance) and a local research institute called MAPAATA, building their capacities for advocacy and evidence generation.
The Step Up project is built around institutionalization — working with existing government structures, not creating parallel systems. The government pays the wages; the district councils already exist. We are leveraging existing platforms and the government's own priorities.
Crucially, GIZ is not in the lead. The National Planning Commission leading today's conversation is a perfect example. The government develops agendas for technical working groups and subcommittees at national and decentralized levels. We are there to support systems thinking and capacity building, using financing to kick-start processes that government can sustain. Sustainability is both thought through at the beginning and embedded throughout the process.
Mark: Speaking of evidence and learning, Dr. Jamali — you are a researcher. What role does research play in guiding Malawi's food systems transformation?
Dr. Jamali: Research gives us the basis for innovation. And why do we need innovation? Because the multiplicity and complexity of challenges confronting food systems — climate change, shifting weather patterns, diminishing fiscal space — requires systems thinking grounded in context and responsive to it.
Key roles research plays include:
Evidence generated from research shapes our thinking, guides our priorities, and helps us harness challenges into opportunities. That is the role of research.
Mark: Vitowe, what lessons from Malawi's governance journey are most relevant for other countries?
Vitowe: Let me start by advertising our three working districts — because they offer specific learning opportunities:
Beyond that, here are the key lessons:
1. Governance matters. Without structures to coordinate food systems, sectors will continue to operate in silos. If we are serious about food systems transformation, we must set aside resources to strengthen governance structures.
2. Ownership at the central level is essential. And "central level" goes beyond formal government structures — it includes community-level ownership. Through the TI project, we worked with communities using a visioning methodology — giving them a platform to articulate what food systems transformation means to them. The aspirations they expressed aligned closely with Malawi 2063.
3. Gender is critical. We must not only focus on women in communities, but also on women in government spaces. When formally employed women are capacitated to engage in food systems dialogues, their contributions directly reflect community-level realities.
4. Civil society networks are vital. Governments cannot advocate against their own employer. Civil society networks act as the voice of local masses and drive accountability in food systems transformation.
Mark: Looking ahead, Dr. Jamali — what are the key milestones Malawi is working towards?
Dr. Jamali: Our milestones are anchored in the goals of Malawi's food systems transformation:
Self-food sufficiency — towards the end of last year, almost 25% of the population was food insecure. We want a Malawi that can produce and manage food resources commensurate with population demand.
Climate resilience — adapting science and technology so crops can withstand adverse conditions, and building food reserves that prevent losses even in poor harvest seasons.
Infrastructure-led growth — food systems should catalyze investment in roads (connecting markets), energy (for agro-processing and export), and communication infrastructure.
Competitive human capital — our nutritional indicators fall below regional averages on stunting, underweight, and wasting. By improving food systems, we are investing in the cognitive and technical capacity of our future generations.
Private sector dynamism — a functional private sector that operates without dependence on bilateral agencies or development partners. This aligns with Malawi 2063, the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our vision: an inclusively wealthy, self-reliant Malawi that can navigate whatever challenges come its way.
Mark: Vitowe, if Malawi gets governance right, what changes will citizens see by 2063?
Vitowe: That's a great question. Let me first acknowledge that governance is not an easy journey. Partners are often reluctant to invest in this space because governance is about soft skills — and there's always the question: what will we actually see at the end?
But if governance structures are built and given time to function, citizens should see:
1. Improved household nutrition When all sectors align their priorities and resources toward food systems transformation — and that coordination reaches communities — the result should be visible improvements in household nutrition. This is particularly critical given Malawi's high stunting rates.
2. Improved livelihoods Livelihoods in Malawi are hugely affected by food system failures. Once governance structures become functional and sustained, we should see measurable improvements in community livelihoods within the spaces where those structures operate.
Mark: Since you still have the mic, Vitowe — what's your parting shot?
Vitowe: My parting shot would be this:
"We cannot talk about food systems transformation if we do not have structures that can coordinate food systems."
We will continue to operate in silos if we don't set aside resources targeting governance strengthening. My plea to listeners is: let's set aside resources with a specific focus on strengthening food systems governance.
This is not just about Africa. Every country, at every level of development, must do the work of food systems governance. Because this is ultimately about human dignity.
Mark: Thank you, Vitowe. I will quote you from now on.
Dr. Jamali, your parting shot?
Dr. Jamali: I think we need to keep the human face of all that we're doing in view. We can have governance structures from central to local level — but the true test is how that governance connects to implementation, and how implementation contributes to:
You cannot divorce food systems from development. Food systems is the development agenda itself. Because without food, people cannot process, cannot think, cannot engage with policy. Man cannot talk about policies without looking at how that policy is providing life to him through food.
The sustainability of all governance efforts will be tested by how much transformation is observed in the lives of the people we are serving, and by improvements in our socioeconomic conditions as a country.
Mark: Thank you, Dr. Jamali. Again, a lot of wisdom being dropped here: "You cannot divorce food systems from the development agenda."
Once again, thank you both. Thank you, Dr. Jamali, and thank you, Vitowe, for sharing your wonderful insights. One thing is clear from this conversation: food systems transformation is not just about projects, ideas, or programs. It's about governance — and how governance shapes the course of food systems transformation.
At the end of the day, what we want to see is: are our people well fed? Do they have something in their cupboard? Are their children going back to school on a full stomach?
Malawi is showing us that when systems align — across ministries, districts, and among partners — real transformation becomes possible.
Thank you, Andrew and Vitowe, for sharing your insights and leadership. And to our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Until next time, keep Biting The Talk!
Bite The Talk Podcast explores the ideas, systems and leadership shaping the future of food systems across Africa and beyond.