http://www.fao.org/globalsoilpartnership This presentation was made during the African Soil Prtnership consulation workshop which took a place in Ghana, 20-22 May 2015. This presentation was made by James Banda, and it presents the priorities for SSM in Malawi. ©FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. “Priorities for Sustainable Soil
Management in Malawi”
James Banda
Land Resources Conservation Department,
Malawi Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water
Development
African Soil Partnership Workshop
20-22 May 2015

2. Malawi Soils: Background
• Major Soils in Malawi are:
– Eutric leptisols
– Chromic levisols
– Haplic lixisols
• These soils have variable morphology with low
inherent fertility;

3. Soil Map for Malawi

4. Importance of Soils to Malawi
• Top soil remains a key natural resource
anchoring the agriculture and other sectors;
• Agriculture in Malawi
– One of the key priority in National Development
strategies (i.e. MGDS II, National Vision 2020);
– 80% population dependent on agriculture 33 %
GDP;
– Sectoral priority in Pillar 1 (Adaptation) of the
National Climate Change Policy, mainstreamed
into ASWAP and NAPA

5. Threats to Malawi Soils
• Soil degradation mainly as a result of erosion:
– Expansion and intensification of agriculture;
– deforestaion;
– Overgrazing;
– Cultivation in fragile land (steep slopes, river banks);
– Offsite effects on drinking water and generation of HEP;
• 2007 estimates indicates US$54 mil (1.6 %) onsite
annual loss due to reduced agricultural productivity;
• Additionally, ESCOM estimated US$10 mil loss and
Water Boards estimated US$100, 000 per annum;

6. Responses to Save Malawi Soils
• ASWAp and the National Climate Change Policy
outlines sustainable land management as key
focus areas but:
– Uptake of soil conservation technologies remain low;
– Fertilizer Uptake is extremely low;
– Fetilizer use efficiency average 17 kg maize/kg N2;
– Yields are far from the potential;
• Agricultural yield will remain far below potential
with associated HEP, drinking water and flooding
issues downstream;

7. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
FerilizerApplied(kg/Ha)
Year
Fertilizer Use in Malawi

8. 0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Production(MT)
Time (year)
Maize Rice
Maize and Rice Production Malawi

9. Priorities to Save Malawi Soils
• Malawi needs to emphasize the role of soils in agriculture
development and climate change management:
– Continue with strategic organic fertilizer campaigns (manure
launches);
– Integrated soil fertility management (organic+ inorganic fertilizer
use) to enhance use efficiencies;
– Commemoration of the World Soil Day as part of the 2015 Year
of Soils;
• Update the Soil Database for Malawi from the 1990 data:
– Soil erosion data, soil organic matter, NPK, etc
• The Landscape Approach is key to tackle the onsite-offsite
effects of soil degradation;