Report: Accelerating water security investments in Malawi agriculture value chains

Malawi, despite being home to the world's fifth-largest lake by volume as well as major river networks across the country, faces significant water security issues. Degrading infrastructure, limited irrigation, and low storage capacity leave Malawi's agricultural sector dependent on rain and increasingly exposed to climate shocks. Targeted investment in interventions such as solar-powered irrigation and increased on-farm storage capacity can help solve these problems and help Malawi on the road to a prosperous, water-secure future, but high energy costs and unfavorable macroeconomic conditions present significant challenges to securing these investments. 

RWA has partnered with Dalberg to produce the following report, Accelerating water security investments in Malawi agriculture value chains, which assesses the feasibility of commercial water investments in Malawi's tea, sugar, and coffee value chains and aims to understand the wider potential for water security investment in the sector. In 2026, RWA will be exploring how innovative financing mechanisms can be deployed to mitigate high upfront capital outlay for water security solutions in Malawi.