Assessing market prospects for grain legumes in Malawi

This paper explores the possibility of markets supporting the uptake of multipurpose legume cropping systems by providing growth in demand in the future for these legumes. The analysis uses expenditure elasticities generated from cross-sectional and secondary data to evaluate alternative scenarios for future growth in product demand. A "market mapping" exercise quantified the structure and flows of pulses within the Malawi's domestic production and marketing system. Based on scenarios of 1% and 4.5% annual growth in real per capita income, total direct demand for legumes is projected to rise between 3.5% and 6.3% per year. Growth prospects were strongest for soybean, followed by pigeon pea and groundnut, and finally cow peas. However, growth prospects are threatened by aflatoxin contamination in groundnuts, hence the need for continued efforts on all levels to reduce its occurrence. Further, women entrepreneurs are confined to retail markets, and growing their businesses through processing technologies would increase their returns.