RESEARCH
A. ON-GOING PROJECTS
1. Integrated Implementation of The 2030 Agenda: The Example of Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus Governance In Malawi: This project focuses on coordination mechanisms of the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus that deal with competing interests from the various sectors for water and land resources. The case study in the Malawi aims to improve the understanding of how interdependencies be-tween those SDGs that are closely linked to the WEF Nexus (particularly SDG 2 Zero Hun-ger, SDG 6 Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 Energy, SDG 15 Life on Land, SDG 16 Peace and Strong Institutions). The project is supported by the German Government and carried out in Machinga District in conjunction with the German Development Institute.
2. Support to AFR100 Monitoring Group in Production and Dissemination of 2021 AFR100 Report on the State of Restoration in Africa. This assignment is commissioned by the African Union with the of providing support to the AFR100 Monitoring Group in the production of the 2021 AFR100 report on the state of restoration in Africa. The report assesses the current implementation of FLR in Africa as a contribution to the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
3. Review of the Current National Agricultural Policy and Development of a New National Agricultural Policy. The assignment has been commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture with support from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in which a team of experts have been assembled to conduct a comprehensive review of the current NAP in terms of implementation, performance, outcomes and lessons learned to develop a successor policy based on the recommendations from the review.
B. UPCOMING PROJECTS
1. Gendered time-use benefits from improved cooking solutions: A pathway to a new type of development impact bond and cooking solutions market stimulus. This proposed research aims at quantifying and valuing the amount of time lost to drudgery related to household energy use, from using improved cookstoves. This research will be supported by Duke University in the United States of America. It will involve conducting a baseline of 1000 households in three districts yet to be determined on the current fuelwood use behaviour. Thereafter, the households will be issued with improved cookstoves through the C-Quest Capital Limited and an endline survey will follow after eight months after the distribution of the stoves.
C. COMPLETED PROJECTS
1. Rapid Appraisal of Improved Cookstove Benefits in Southern Malawi: C-Quest Capital (CQC) has partnered with Baylor College of Medicine – Children’s Foundation Malawi (BCM -CFM), a provider of various pediatric HIV care and treatment services in Malawi, to implement 10,000 improved cookstoves in 5,000 households in the Southern district of Balaka. CQC Sought the services of CIE to conduct a questionnaire pre-intervention and post-intervention to gain a better understanding of time savings from fuel gathering and cooking as well as health benefits through continued use of two improved cookstoves per household. The baseline was conducted in Balaka district in December 2020 and the follow-up baseline is expected be conducted in May 2021.
2. Randomized Control Trial (RCT) of Thermal Efficiency of Charcoal Cookstoves and Technology Switching Behavior among Households in Peri-Urban Areas of Lilongwe City. C-Quest Capital (CQC) intends to support this research by providing improved charcoal stoves to charcoal users. After consulting with Aprovecho/ASAT, they recommended the Burn/Nairobi and Envirofit stoves. These stoves will be given to households in selected peri urban areas of Lilongwe city where charcoal use for cooking is deemed to be predominant. The research will involve three stages (a) a reconnaissance/baseline survey and thermal tests of their current technologies (b) stove distribution of clay-lines stove charcoal stoves (Jikkos) an imported charcoal stoves) to selected households and thermal efficiency tests of the distributed stoves (c) construction of Total Land Care Rocket Stoves (TLCRS) to some households and provision of JetFlames to be used on the TLCRS using bamboos other than firewood (d) post intervention survey.
3 Preparation of the 7th Edition of the Malawi National Human Development Report: Promoting Sustainable Human Development and Institutional Accountability through a District Focused Approach. This consultancy was commissioned by UNDP to assess the role of the district focused approach to human development in line with the National Decentralization Policy. It examined how local governance structures influence both decision making and development processes and drew lessons and recommendations for enhancing the local governance systems to accelerate this rural development. This consultancy started in September 2019 and completed in December 2020.
4. Impact evaluation of the Participatory Integrated Climate Services for Agriculture (PICSA) Under Saving Lives and Protecting Agriculture-Based Livelihoods in Malawi: Scaling Up the Use of Modernized Climate Information and Early Warning Systems (M-Climes) Project. This is a GCF funded project designed to support the Government of Malawi to take important steps to save lives and enhance livelihoods at risk from climate-related disasters. The PICSA approach, as a component of M-CLIMES Project, makes use of historical climate records, participatory decision-making tools, and forecasts to help farmers identify and better plan livelihood options that are suited to local climate features and farmers’ own circumstances. This evaluation was commissioned by UNDP prior to estimate long-term effects of PICSA on Yield and Food security of farmers in the targeted districts. This study was conducted from September to May 2021 (draft report submitted).
5. Rapid Assessment of Stove Usage, Fuelwood Collection and Health Outcome Baseline Survey. This study was commissioned by C-Quest Capital to collect household-level pre-intervention data regarding stove usage, fuel collection and perceived health of beneficiaries to establish a baseline indicator before the distribution of new stove technology in Balaka district. This study was conducted between November and December 2020. A follow-up study is expected in April 2021.
6. Rapid Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Cyclone Idai In Malawi. This rapid study was conducted on behalf of UNDP in order to establish the socio-economic impacts of the cyclone in the affected areas and provide clear policy recommendations for designing post-disaster recovery interventions. This study was conducted in districts of Machinga and Zomba that were worst hit by the cyclone in April 2019.
7. Promoting Climate Finance Opportunities to Support Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) Through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCS). At the Conference of the Parties (CoP21) known as the “Paris Accord” in December 2015, national governments outlined post-2020 targets for reducing emissions and, the specific climate actions and approaches that individual countries intend to take to achieve the targets. His study was among several studies that were conducted in 13 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries aimed at documenting the progress made towards understanding how Malawi and other 13 African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries towards actions that would lead to the achievements of the national commitments in the NDCs with a focus on the agricultural sector. This study was conducted between May and July 2019.
8. Baseline Study for the Country Strategy Paper (CSP III) the Government of Flanders - Malawi for the Period 2019-2023. This study was commissioned by the Government of Flanders at the start of their country strategy program in order to define the actual situation of selected indicators in the CSP III Result Framework at the start of the programme. These values were to act as benchmarks for setting targets, monitoring progress of outputs and outcomes, and the evaluation of impact. The project was conducted between May and June 2019.
9. Analytical Study on Strengthening El-Nino Preparedness and Response in Malawi. This project was funded by the World Bank to support the government of Malawi towards strengthening preparedness and response to extreme weather events especially El Nino and La Nina phenomena by learning from past responses. The study covered 12 of the 15 disaster prone districts across Malawi in October/September 2017. The report is under review by the World Bank.
10. Annual Beneficiary Survey Report for NJIRA Project in Malawi. This project was a USAID-funded project under the Office of Food for Peace (FFP) designed to improve food security among vulnerable households in Balaka and Machinga. The consultancy was commissioned by Project Concern International as part of its obligation to the sponsor to conduct the annual survey to track progress in the implementation of the project. The survey was conducted from 16 to 28 October 2016.
11. End of Program Evaluation of ICRAF’s Agroforestry Food Security Programme (AFSP) 2007-2011. This consultancy was commissioned by Irish Aid Malawi to provide Irish Aid, the donor, with an independent, evidence-based evaluation of how the AFSP has contributed towards its goal (food security and soil fertility management) over its 4-year implementation period (2007-2011). The evaluation aims at providing key lessons learnt so far and see how the programme has achieved its goals, as guided through approved programme document, and in relation to Irish Aid Country Strategy Paper (CSP) priorities (for Malawi).
12. Mid Term Review of Action Aid Country Strategy Program (CSP) This Consultancy was commissioned by Action Aid Malawi to assess progress of program implementations in 12 districts across the country since 2012. The CSP strategic priorities included three strategic Objectives of building resilience of people living in poverty, in general, and, in particular, in the context of climate change, natural disasters and human conflict. This evaluation was undertaken between May and June 2015 and covered six (6) out of the twelve districts.
13. Environmental Impact Assessment of the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) This study was conducted on behalf of the Department for International Development (DFID) of the United Kingdom (UK) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development (MOAIWD) to assess the main positive and negative impacts of the Farm Inputs Subsidy Program (FISP) to date (2005-2011), where possible quantifying the likely size of these impacts and, when relevant, highlighting who was affected. This study was conducted between June and October 2011.
14. Assessment of Development Results of the UNDP Country Program in Malawi-2002-2011: Evaluation of UNDP Contribution. This study was commissioned by UN Evaluation Office through UNDP to determine the degree to which UNDP has responded to Malawi’s development challenges and how UNDP programs have contributed to the achievement of Malawi national development goals and objectives. Professor Charles Jumbe was responsible for the thematic area of energy and environment. The ADR was conducted between August 2010 and February 2011.
15. Energy Security for Sustainable Livelihoods in Southern Africa. This was a one-year project (2017/2018) funded by the Alliance for African Partnership at Michigan State University in order to strengthen and expand the research network across these three countries to examine the timely and relevant issue of energy security in sub-Saharan Africa, and the transition to cleaner, modern sources of energy that will reduce negative health impacts, enhance food security, and reduce deforestation and environmental degradation.
16. Improving the Enabling Environment for Fertilizer Markets in Africa: An Institutional Collaborative Approach to Value Chain Development. This was a one-year project (2017/2018) funded by the Alliance for African Partnership at Michigan State University in order to generate evidence to mobilize support for policy and regulatory reforms that will encourage private sector-led fertilizer markets and improve smallholder farmers’ access to and profitable use of fertilizers.
17. Annual Beneficiary Survey Report for NJIRA Project in Malawi. This project is the USAID-funded project under the Office of Food for Peace (FFP) designed to improve food security among vulnerable households in Balaka and Machinga. The consultancy was commissioned by Project Concern International as part of its obligation to the sponsor to conduct the annual survey to track progress in the implementation of the project. The survey was conducted from 16 to 28 October 2016.
18. Mapping out fertilizer supply chain in Malawi. This project was undertaken in Malawi in 2016/2017 as a comparative study to similar studies that were concurrently conducted in Kenya and Nigeria on fertilizer market channels as a learning platform for design strategies for an effective fertilizer market system in selected African countries. This research was funded by the International Food Policy Research Institute (USA).
19. National Market Situation Analysis to Inform Food Security Response Options for the 2015/16 MVAC Response Programme. This was a comprehensive market assessment study report commissioned by the Malawi Government through Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Lilongwe. in August 2015. This was conducted across all districts in order whether the humanitarian assistance to the food insecure households should be in the form of cash transfer or food based on the functionality of markets in affected areas.
20. Market Situation Analysis to Inform Food Security Response Options for the 2015 Malawi Flood Assistance. This was a rapid market assessment that was conducted on behalf of the Malawi Government through the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC), Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Lilongwe May 2015 for developing a response plan to support food insecure households in affected areas.
21. Potential implications of large-scale biofuel investments for rural poverty and food security in sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of Sugarcane in Malawi. This study aimed at contributing to the implementation of the National Export Strategy analyzing critical challenges affecting the expansion of the sugarcane sector. The study analyzed the government’s interest to support the cluster which seems to be a prerequisite for undertaking the policy and institutional reforms required and for investing in the cluster; and specific challenges for specific arrangements of a broader value chain (VC) through which the cluster can be expanded. The project started from 15 February to 15 March 2014.
22. Mid-term review of the of the Mulanje Mountain Biodiversity Conservation Project” commissioned by the Royal Norwegian Embassy and the Norwegian Development Cooperation (September/October 2010)
23. Capacity diagnostics in the agricultural Sector” commissioned by the United Nations Development Program to development Strategy to support the implementation of the Agricultural Sector Wide Program (September 2010).
24. Procedures for the Management of Non-Emergency Maize Reserves in the Strategic Grain Reserves (2010). The study conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture.