Growth Poles Activity

The purpose of this activity is to accelerate environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable, resilient, and more inclusive wealth generation in Malawi by mobilizing rural-based private sector investments and partnerships with anchor firms and their surrounding communities, smallholder organizations, cooperatives, and MSMEs in a growth pole approach, with a youth and gender lens. It will build on the strong foundation of early growth pole development established by the FTF Agricultural Diversification (AgDiv) activity.

The concept of a growth pole is a location centered around anchor firms that have internal economies of scale, provide a sustainable motor for growth, and can deliver positive benefits for surrounding areas; these may also center on a specific industry hub, or a geographic location like a municipality, or a specific value chain region. In Malawi, growth poles will be developed and strengthened with and through anchor firms (or several firms) that have long-term business strategies that are inherently inclusive (incorporate smallholder farmers, for example) and climate-positive and resilient (dependent on improved soil and watershed health), with robust environment, social and governance (ESG) strategies, and existing hard and soft infrastructure, that have a need of partnerships that can catalyze economic growth, resilience, and inclusivity results. Most companies in Malawi that fit this concept operate in the agricultural, food, energy, forestry, agroforestry and/or tourism sectors.