The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development has noted coffee’s crucial role in helping most developing countries with strategic exports, due to its high demand at an annual rate of 2_2.5 per cent, driven largely by rising consumption in emerging markets.
This was revealed in a press statement on Tuesday, signed by the secretary for agriculture, irrigation and water development, Alfred Mwenifumbo.
It explains that from a macroeconomic perspective, coffee exports represent a critical source of foreign exchange earnings, rural employment, and livelihood security for producing countries.
“In Africa, where approximately 95% of producers are smallholder farmers, coffee cultivation contributes significantly to household income and local economic resilience.
“The continent accounts for about 12% of global coffee output. However, the sector faces mounting risks from climate variability, including temperature shifts and erratic rainfall patterns that threaten yields and quality,” reads parts of the statement.
The ministry has, however noted the scaling up of climate-smart and sustainable production systems, that has therefore become imperative to safeguard the competitiveness of African coffee.
“To address these challenges, the Government of Italy is financing a regional technical assistance programme titled “Advancing Climate-Resilience and Transformation in African Coffee (ACT Coffee)” with a total budget of €15 million for the period May 2025 to May 2028.
The initiative, implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the EU Global Gateway, supports the formulation of National Coffee Strategies in five key producing countries—Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, and Malawi. Explained part of the statement.
In Malawi, UNIDO, in collaboration with the Government of Malawi, engaged the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) to lead the analytical and strategic development processes.
The first phase involved a comprehensive assessment of the national coffee value chain, examining its functional, economic, and socio-environmental dimensions. Building on these findings, the University completed the preparation of the Malawi Coffee Strategy (2025—2040).
Accordingly to the statement, the Official Launch of the Malawi Coffee Strategy (2025—2040), is expected to be officially launched at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC), in Lilongwe, on Thursday.
