2. National Extension & Advisory Services Policy (2025)

The National Agriculture Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) Policy of 2025 serves as a foundational policy framework to modernize and harmonize the delivery of agricultural extension and advisory services in Malawi. It aims to transform AEAS into an inclusive, demand-driven, pluralistic, and professional system that improves agricultural productivity, resilience, commercialization, and rural livelihoods.

Recognizing past fragmentation and inadequacies in AEAS delivery, the policy outlines strategic reforms for coordination, quality assurance, institutional capacity, and innovative service delivery through both public and private sector actors. It places particular emphasis on youth, women, and climate-smart agriculture.

The policy builds upon Malawi’s national development frameworks, such as MW2063 and MIP-1, and aligns with global commitments on food security and climate change. It addresses key challenges including inadequate staffing, weak governance structures, poor financing, and limited digital integration, while setting a roadmap for improved implementation, monitoring, and accountability.

• Roadmap of Contents

  1. Introduction

  • Background and rationale for policy development

  • Linkages with MW2063, MIP-1, and the National Agricultural Policy

  2. Policy Context and Situational Analysis

  • Performance review of prior AEAS initiatives

  • Key challenges in Malawi’s AEAS ecosystem

  • Opportunities for reform and modernization

  3. Vision, Mission, Goal, and Objectives

  • Vision: Efficient, inclusive, and responsive AEAS

  • Mission: Deliver coordinated, pluralistic services

  • Goal: Increased productivity, commercialization, and resilience

  • Core objectives include strengthening governance, professionalization, financing, innovation, and capacity-building

  4. Guiding Principles

  • Demand-driven and participatory approaches

  • Pluralism and partnerships

  • Gender and youth inclusion

  • Digitalization and evidence-based planning

  • Sustainability and climate adaptation

  5. Policy Priority Areas

  1. Coordination and Governance of AEAS

  2. Professionalization and Accreditation of AEAS Providers

  3. Capacity Building and Institutional Development

  4. Innovative Extension Approaches and Tools

  5. Sustainable Financing Mechanisms

  6. Quality Assurance and Monitoring & Evaluation

  7. Mainstreaming Cross-cutting Issues (gender, youth, nutrition, HIV, climate)

  6. Implementation Arrangements

  • Roles and responsibilities of government, private sector, CSOs, farmer organizations, and development partners

  • Creation of a National AEAS Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups

  7. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL)

  • MEL framework and performance indicators

  • Feedback loops and learning systems for adaptive management

  8. Financing the Policy

  • Resource mobilization strategies

  • Public-private partnerships

  • Budgeting mechanisms across sectors

  Annexes

  • Acronyms

  • Reference documents

  • Stakeholder consultation summary

The following multiple choice, short answer, and scenario-based questions are required for certification and must be completed in full.