The overall objective of the Trust is to advance and promote the development of a competitive rice value chain in Malawi in the following areas:

Farmer Organization and Capacity Building

• Facilitate the identification of capacity needs in Malawi’s rice value chain and lobby for increased support to address the needs;
• Facilitate farmer organization development and strengthening for improved production, management and quality of rice;
• Facilitate the organization of Malawi’s rice value chain actors and strengthening of cooperatives for strategic and profitable cooperative business management;

Production

• Facilitate access to improved inputs and implements, extension services and technologies for Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
• Promote the adoption of the good agricultural practices and other quality standards in the rice value chain;
• Coordinate the rice seed supply system in Malawi to ensure the multiplication and distribution of high-quality rice seeds to the rice producing areas; Processing, Value Addition and Marketing
• Promote a transparent and objective pricing mechanism for rice and rice products along the value chain which is acceptable and trusted by relevant stakeholders;
• Promote coordination among Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
  Promote and lobby for fair trading practices among Malawi’s rice value chain actors;
  Facilitate the education of Malawi’s rice value chain actors in processing, value addition and marketing;
  Promote coordination in processing, value addition and marketing of rice and its products.
• Facilitate the marketing of rice and rice products, both domestically and internationally, in collaboration with relevant rice value chain actors

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

• Facilitate the Trust’s Members’ access to production, processing, value addition and marketing information;
• Facilitate information sharing and benchmarking best practices on rice value chain development in Malawi and abroad;
• Facilitate the development and establishment of production, processing and market information data base;

Finance and Investments

• Facilitate increased access to financial services by Malawi’s rice value chain actors.
• Facilitate the promotion of investment in rice value chain in Malawi.
• Facilitate the promotion of commercialization of all rice value chain activities

Partnership Development

• Establish and strengthen partnerships within the global, regional and national rice value chain;
• Facilitate adoption, implementation and compliance to domestic and international quality standards by the rice value chain actors;
• Advocate for certification and or accreditation of Malawi’s rice value chain actors to exploit both domestic and export markets;

Policy and Advocacy

• Facilitate the identification of policy gaps in Malawi’s rice sector and lobby for positive policy changes for the development of Malawi’s rice value chain to ensure fair trade and increased access to export markets;

• Lobby for adequate representation of the rice sector in national, regional and global policy processes;
  Lobby for infrastructure development aimed at fostering positive change in Malawi’s rice value chain;

MEMBERSHIP

Membership to the Trust is restricted to all actors involved in Malawi’s rice value chain. Honourary membership are conferred by the Board at its discretion on any individual, organization or institution resident within or outside Malawi. There are membership subscription fees that are levied. The Board determines the amount payable as membership subscription fees and all issues incidental thereto.