Abstract/Summary

Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) is known to have a multisectoral impact dimension, impacting on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. As such, this study examined the contribution of HGSF to poverty reduction among smallholder farmers in Malawi. The study utilised a hybrid approach, involving quantitative and qualitative methods with smallholder Farmer Organisations (FOs) in Mangochi, Phalombe and Salima districts. Key informant interviews (n=20), in-depth interviews with smallholder farmers (n=40) and surveys (n=153) were conducted, and secondary data reviewed to support the findings. The study found that though school feeding started in Malawi in 1999, HGSF was introduced a decade later; following the 2007 Presidential Directive. The study noted the existence of various HGSF models, raising both theoretical and practical questions around conceptual framing. Thus, the research points to the fact that HGSF is not a one-size-fits-all concept, and that its impact on poverty reduction is a function of the effective participation of smallholder farmers. The study revealed critical gaps in smallholder farmer participation including issues of procurement governance and capacity. The study, however, established a positive correlation between HGSF and poverty reduction, highlighting the evident impact on household incomes, food security, dietary diversity and consumption patterns, and agricultural production. In addition, the study revealed fundamental impacts on health, education, and infrastructure for smallholders, all attributable to their participation in the HGSF programme. The study also found that school feeding in Malawi is embedded in multiple policy/institutional frameworks but fragmented and lacking in implementation and practice. This points to the importance of a robust policy framework specific to school feeding for Malawi to ease concerted and coordinated efforts across development partners involved in school feeding. With increased political interest, school feeding and HGSF in particular is seen as a sensible and effective investment tool for poverty reduction especially for children and smallholder farmers in Malawi.