International Food Policy Research Institute (Ifpri) published a policy brief titled Malawi’s Challenging Employment Landscape: Any Signs of Structural Transformation, in which Malawi has been advised to diversify her agricultural output.

The call comes after many similar suggestions by various firms, both locally and internationally, as Malawi’s cash crops have been struggling. In a report released recently, the World Bank has said that in the past decade, Malawi has been able to make significant economic and structural reforms and sustain economic growth, but remains one of the poorest countries in the world, because it is overly dependent on agriculture.

Ifpri also tipped on promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) to create more jobs and boost economic growth. Figures from Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (Mitc) show that Malawi’s FDI was estimated at $1.5 billion, representing 21 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018.