Malawi Agricultural Industry

The economy in Malawi is predominantly based on the agricultural industry. The lush climate and fertile soil provide an excellent basis for Malawi agriculture. Out of the population of nearly 10.5 million people, over 75 percent live in rural areas and nearly 90 percent of the population engages in some form of farming.

Maize in Malawi

Agriculture represents around 36 percent of the GDP and accounts for over 80 percent of all exports. The largest staple crop of Malawi is corn, or maize, which is often grown on a small scale by farmers working at the subsistence level. As of 2007, Malawi agriculture has been selling more Maize to the World Food Program (a department of the United Nations) than any other country in the south of Africa, and has exported many thousands of tons of Maize to Zimbabwe.

Tobacco Production

Tobacco has long been an important cash crop that accounts for a large portion of Malawi’s foreign currency requirements. In 2000, tobacco production rose to nearly 160,000 tons, making Malawi one of the top ten tobacco producers in the world. Between 2007 and 2008, tobacco has leapt to as high as 70 percent of export revenues.

Rubber Plantations

Rubber plantations in the north of the country also provide a large export crop for Malawi agriculture. Many estates have focused on sustainability, which has helped produce long-term benefits for the industry. There are many hundreds of thousands of rubber trees on the northern plantations, each producing an average of 5kg of rubber per year.

Commercial Tea Production

Commercial tea production as a staple of Malawi agriculture started back in the 1880’s, when Malawi was a British colony. Large tea plantations cover many areas in the south of the country to this day. Many of these old tea estates are also tourist attractions due to their serene beauty. The country currently exports around 43,000 metric tons of tea annually and ranks twelfth on the list of global tea producing countries. Malawi exports tea to countries in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Sugar Industry in Malawi

Since 2000, sugar has risen even above tea to become the second largest export of Malawi agriculture. The sugar industry in Malawi employs around 10,000 people and sugar exports have reached around 260,000 tons every year.In addition, due to massive sugar production, Malawi has begun to produce its own ethanol at two different plants in the country as a means of reducing dependence on imported fuels.

Other Products in the Malawi Agriculture Industry

Aside from these major crops, other products are grown throughout the country – though on a much smaller scale. Among the products produced by Malawi agriculture are sorghum, millet, pulses, rice, peanuts, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.