Deputy Minister of Agriculture Thoko Tembo launched a $2.8 million digital trade system funded by the World Bank, Nyasa Times reports. The new Sanitary and Phytosanitary Information Management System will digitise trade documentation to reduce delays in the cross-border clearance of plant and animal products. The platform is part of the World Bank's Southern African Trade and Connectivity Project, which is designed to improve regional trade efficiency.
Additionally, the International Food Policy Research Institute released a study highlighting a shift in Malawi's rural economy, according to Nyasa Times. The research indicates that economic pressures and shrinking land sizes are forcing many rural citizens to abandon their own farms for low-paying casual labour, locally known as ganyu. Researchers note that this reliance on informal daily work is deepening poverty and food insecurity across the country.