This platform aims at promoting sustainable legume production, processing, value addition and marketing. Legumes are an important component of the agriculture sector in Malawi, being included in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) II (2011-2016) and the ASWAp for crop food security diversification, nutrition and export potential.

Production of rice over the past ten years has been increasing. However, the general trend masks a The Legumes Platform has emerged through a series of stakeholders meetings and consultations initially initiated by Irish Aid and thereafter, facilitated by AICC. The need for the platform surfaced as a result of realisation that small individual impacts achieved by different stakeholders could significantly be up-scaled if coordination among actors were improved.

Since, November 2011, AICC through MAP with support from other interested donors/partners such as Irish Aid and Rural Livelihood Economic Enhancement Program (RLEEP) has been working with key stakeholders in the legumes sector in order to collect develop strategies for harnessing opportunities and overcoming key challenges facing the legumes sector. Using a value chain approach, improved coordination of activities is envisaged, as well as to identify constraints and opportunities and to provide workable solutions for problems affecting the sub-sector to make it efficient and viable.

The Legumes Development Trust also provides additional information related to the AICC Legumes platform.