Evidence Matters for Transformational Impact
Peer-Reviewed Research
MwAPATA was established with a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World via Michigan State University, and continues with the support of the Foundation, the United States Agency for International Development and several other partners.
Sign up here for new research announcements
Your comments on our research are most welcomed
Sustainable Intensification in Jeopardy: Transdisciplinary Evidence from Malawi
May 6, 2022
MwAPATA Researchers Burke and Jayne, with co-authors Sieglinde Snapp (CIMMYT) and Brad Peter (University of Alabama) organize data drawing on decades of research, farmer surveys, field visits, and remote sensing satellites to find trends in Malawian productivity. They find troubling evidence that soil fertility and yield responses to fertilizer may be declining in key parts of the country. They call for a more holistic approach and provide specific recommendations on how to ensure a productive future.
May 1, 2022
MwAPATA Researchers Khonje and Muyanga, with co-authors Jacob Ricker-Gilbert (Purdue University) and Matin Qaim (Georg-August-University of Goettingen), examine the relationship between child malnutrition and farm-level production diversity (FPD). Though often considered an important strategy, the evidence linking FPD to improved nutritional status has been thin. This article thus sheds valuable insights.
Exploring Adoption Effects of Subsidies and Soil Fertility Management in Malawi
March 29, 2022
MwAPATA Researchers Khonje, Nyondo, Chilora, Mangisoni and Burke, with co-author Jacob Ricker-Gilbert of Purdue University, present their findings on the relationships between input subsidies and integrated soil fertility management. The research shows participation in the farm input subsidy program between 2010 and 2019 is associated with increased probability of adopting soil and water conservation, as well as organic fertilizer use.
February 1, 2022
MwAPATA Researchers Burke and Jayne, with co-author Sieglinde Snapp, use state-of-the-art methods to collect and analyze data on farmer fertilizer use and productivity to understand the levels and drivers of yield responses to fertilizers on Malawian maize fields. They find troubling evidence of low economic returns to fertilizer use, but also show data indicating how to improve Malawian agricultural productivity.
Trends in Tobacco Production and Prices in Malawi
October 4, 2021
MwAPATA Researchers Wineman, Chilora and Jayne present findings on farm-gate prices for tobacco, which have declined in recent years relative to the prices of maize or fertilizer. In addition, the share of the export price received by farmers has declined over time. Likely as a result, they find, a transition away from tobacco - often noted as an important policy objective in Malawi - has already occurred. They discuss the implications of their findings in this contribution to Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
The Codependence Between Nutrition, Resilience, and Sustainable Food Systems
September 8, 2021
MwAPATA Researchers Khonje and Burke, with co-authors Fregene and Toda of the African Development Bank, contributed Chapter 6 to the 2021 African Agricultural Status Report. This meta-analysis examines the relationship between nutrition and resilience in the agricultural sector, concluding one seldom exists without the other. The recommendations emphasize the importance of research, development and extension, and consider a potential role for food and production subsidies for nutritious food.
