Capacity Building for Smallholders - Experiences from a field study in Malawi

Abstract

Agriculture is the livelihood for the majority of the world’s rural population and development in the sector is thus highly relevant in order to reduce poverty for a great share of the poorest. In this paper the aim is to investigate how capacity building activities can improve smallholders’ life situation. Through a field study in Malawi we find that positive effects exist in both the short and the long term. The capacity building activities increase the farmers’ productivity and income which implies higher welfare in terms of health and education. Higher human capital can in the long run bring greater economic growth.