Analysis of the Value Chains for Root and Tuber Crops in Malawi: The Case of Sweet Potatoes

A value chain study on sweet potato was conducted in 11 districts of Malawi across all the three regions to analyze and identify bottlenecks and inherent opportunities for possible investments for upgrading and development of the value chain. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative methods to collect primary data from 94 farmers belonging to 7 farmer groups using Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 14 traders and 16 key informants comprising policy makers, NGO representatives and scientists from both local and international research institutions. The data was collected in 11 districts: Mzimba and Nkhata Bay, in the Northern Region; Nkhotakota, Ntchisi, Lilongwe, Dedza, and Ntcheu in the Central Region and Zomba, Blantyre and Mulanje in the Southern Region in February to March 2017. Applying the value chain approach, the study used several analytical techniques that include Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, profitability analysis at various stages along the chain and input (seed) demand analysis