Malawi

Malawi produces 10% of the world’s tea and its tea industry is the nation’s largest formal employer.

Malawi’s formal tea sector employs over 50,000 workers and supports the livelihoods of more than 22,000 smallholder farmers.

Private estates dominate most of the country’s arable land and produce the majority of Malawi’s 45 million kilograms of tea annually, while smallholders contribute around 10%.

Nearly 80% of the tea is exported, making the sector a vital source of foreign exchange. ETP works in Malawi to strengthen collaboration with stakeholders, address climate and gender challenges, enhance farmer resilience, and drive policy improvements for a more sustainable tea industry.

Regional priorities

ETP in Malawi works to address the interconnected economic, social, and environmental challenges faced by tea farmers and workers:

Key priorities:

Strengthening livelihoods: Promote climate-smart practices to help build resilience against droughts, floods, and other climate impacts.
Advancing gender equality: Increase women’s participation, leadership, and access to opportunities in the tea sector.
Protecting the environment: Reduce deforestation, restore landscapes, and promote sustainable energy solutions to safeguard natural resources.

By tackling these issues holistically, ETP aims to foster sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tea farming systems that improve incomes, advance equality, and secure the long-term viability of Malawi’s tea industry.

Facts & figures

Nearly 80% of Malawi’s population relies on rain-fed smallholder agriculture for their livelihoods.
Smallholder tea farmers face income volatility due to weather-dependent yields and market fluctuations.

Women are underrepresented in the formal economy, with nearly 20% fewer women employed than men.
Promoting gender equality and women’s leadership in tea communities remains a priority.

Over the last 50 years, Malawi experienced seven droughts and more than 19 major flooding events.
Climate risks, deforestation, and environmental degradation threaten both smallholder and estate tea production.

Our initiatives in Malawi

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