"This report presents the results of the first year of the research project, 'Agricultural and Rural Development in Malawi: Past, Present and Future.' The research is to be conducted from 2004 to 2006 by the Institute of Developing Economics, Japan, in collaboration with the scholars of the University of Malawi." - preface.

According to MGDS-II, certain major factors such as Malawi’s vulnerability to external shocks, inadequate policy response, and weak implementation capacity have hindered growth and development of the economy. The political risks resulting from the upcoming 2014 tripartite elections have also been cited as a major issue. The report suggests that the government should look into the issues of corruption. IMF staffs has put forth certain guidelines that need to be followed when the first Annual Progress Report is prepared.

In the first decade of the twenty-first century, countries within Sub-Saharan Africa reached milestones that seemed impossible only ten years ago: macroeconomic stability, sustained economic growth, and improved governance. Continuing this pattern of success will require enhancing the region’s agricultural sector, in which a large proportion of poor people make a living. The authors of Strategies and Priorities for African Agriculture: Economywide Perspectives from Country Studies argue that, although the diversity of the region makes generalization difficult, increasing staple-crop production is more likely to reduce poverty than increasing export-crop production. This conclusion is based on case studies of ten low-income African countries that reflect varying levels of resource endowments and development stages. The authors also recommend increased, more efficient public investment in agriculture and agricultural markets and propose new directions for future research. The last ten years have been an encouraging time for one of the world’s poorest regions; this book offers an analysis of how recent, promising trends can be sustained into the future.

2011 Updated Reprint. Updated Annually. Malawi Mining Laws and Regulations Handbook