Civil Society Agriculture Network

What Civil Society Agriculture Network does

Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET) is a Malawi-headquartered civil society network established in 2001 to facilitate engagement between civil society organizations working in agriculture and the Government of Malawi on agricultural policy. Its membership comprises local and international NGOs, farmer organizations (including NASFAM and the Farmers Union of Malawi), and individual members, and the network is governed by a board chaired by Driana Lwanda and led operationally by National Director Elizabeth Namaona. CISANET operates from headquarters in Lilongwe (Area 47, Sector 5) and runs active programmes across at least twelve Malawian districts, including Dedza, Chikwawa, Mzimba, Mangochi, Zomba, Ntcheu, Nsanje, Mchinji, Phalombe, Lilongwe, Ntchisi, and Kasungu.

CISANET's portfolio consists of seven thematic programmes organized under three pillars — Resilient and Nutrition Friendly Agriculture, Access to Profitable Markets, and Livestock/Aquaculture Development — alongside service offerings in policy research, stakeholder dialogue facilitation, and capacity building. Active programmes include Strengthening Rural Governance for the Right to Food, Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Programming in Malawi (with Tilitonse Foundation and Welthungerhilfe), the COCOA anti-corruption project (with the Anti-Corruption Bureau), FOSTA Health (with LUANAR and FANRPAN), the Reducing Poverty and Inequality Project (under Oxfam/Irish Aid), Malawi Fast Forward (GIZ-funded), and Titukulane (with CARE). CISANET also serves as secretariat for the Right to Food Coalition established in 2021, co-hosts the annual National Policy Conference with FANRPAN, and contributed to the COMESA-AGRA Regional Food Balance Sheet digital platform in its 2024-2027 Phase II.

The organization is funded almost entirely by international development grants from partners including Oxfam, GIZ, Welthungerhilfe, USAID, the EU, AGRA, Hivos, and the Irish Civil Society Partnership, with nominal revenue from membership dues (MK 200,000 per organization, MK 50,000 per individual). CISANET does not sell commercial products or services and operates as a non-profit coordination and advocacy network rather than a technology or product company; its only technology-adjacent contribution is data aggregation work on the COMESA/AGRA Regional Food Balance Sheet platform and mobile app.

Name

Civil Society Agriculture Network

Legal name

Civil Society Agriculture Network

Website

https://cisanetmalawi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CISANET is a Malawian civil society network founded in 2001 that coordinates NGO engagement with government on agricultural policy. It runs donor-funded programmes across 12+ districts on food security, market access, anti-corruption, and rural governance for smallholder farmers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Policy Advocacy

akta.pro primary industry

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE)

Keywords

• Agricultural policy advocacy
• Civil society network
• Food security programs
• Smallholder farmer support
• Policy dialogue facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lilongwe

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donor Funding and Grants: CISANET operates primarily through donor funding from international development organizations. The network receives funding from partners including Oxfam, GIZ, Welthungerhilfe, USAID, and others to implement agricultural development, food security, and policy advocacy programs. Revenue is project-based and tied to specific programmatic work.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CISANET is a Malawian civil society network that coordinates agricultural policy advocacy, capacity building, and multi-stakeholder dialogue between civil society organizations and government on agricultural policy issues. The network implements donor-funded programmes focused on food security, smallholder farmer market access, rural governance, and anti-corruption in agricultural input programs, while also facilitating annual national policy conferences and providing research and training services.

Product overview

Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET) is a civil society coordination and advocacy network — not a software product company. Its portfolio consists of seven thematic programmes (Strengthening Rural Governance for the Right to Food, Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Programming, COCOA anti-corruption project, FOSTA, Reducing Poverty and Inequality, Malawi Fast Forward, and Titukulane) organized under three thematic pillars: Resilient and Nutrition Friendly Agriculture, Access to Profitable Markets, and Livestock/Aquaculture Development. CISANET also contributed to the development of the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) digital platform and mobile app, a COMESA/AGRA tool for agricultural data. Beyond programmes, CISANET offers policy research, stakeholder dialogue facilitation (including its flagship annual National Policy Conference), and capacity-building training services for CSOs and government partners. The network does not offer a unified software product; its offerings are advocacy programmes, digital data tools, and professional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strengthening Rural Governance for the Right to Food A multi-level (community, district, national) project that uses a Human Rights Based Approach to strengthen local governance and promote public service delivery related to the Right to Food in Malawi. Targeted at CSOs, district councils, and government partners.
• Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Programming in Malawi A 3-year programme implemented with Tilitonse Foundation and Welthungerhilfe to improve CSO institutional capacity in management, administration, and evidence-based programming in Dedza, Ntcheu, and Nsanje districts.
• Food Systems Transformation in Southern Africa for One Health (FOSTA) A cross-border project exploring consequences of emerging pathways of transformation in Southern African food systems with a One Health focus, implemented with LUANAR and FANRPAN in Mangochi and Zomba districts.
• Reducing Poverty and Inequality Project A project under the Irish Civil Society Partnership (ICSP/Oxfam) that collaborates with district CSO networks and councils to advocate for increased budget accountability and empower women and youth through equitable resource distribution, with a focus on smallholder farmers' access to profitable markets.
• Malawi Fast Forward – Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation A GIZ-funded programme that empowers civil society organizations to contribute to food systems transformation in Malawi, building CSO and government capacity for effective participation in UNFSS pathway implementation, with coverage in Dedza, Chikwawa, and Mzimba districts.
• Titukulane – Advocacy for Enhanced Food and Nutrition Security A project contributing to the implementation of the National Resilience Strategy (NRS) in Mangochi and Zomba pilot districts, supporting improved budgeting, resource allocation, and accountability for food and nutrition security, implemented with Care.
• Combating Corruption in AIP (COCOA) Project An anti-corruption initiative focused on increasing transparency and accountability in Malawi's Affordable Inputs Program (AIP), now Farm Input Subsidy Program (FISP), through beneficiary selection monitoring, media engagement, community scorecards, and Grievance Redress Mechanism committees.
• Policy Advocacy and Stakeholder Dialogue Services CISANET provides policy research and analysis, facilitates multi-stakeholder dialogues (including the annual National Policy Conference held alongside the FANRPAN Regional Multi-Stakeholder Policy Dialogue), and conducts advocacy campaigns to influence agricultural policies affecting smallholder farmers and rural communities in Malawi.
• Capacity Building and Training Services CISANET delivers training workshops and capacity-building programmes for CSOs, district councils, government structures, and thematic groups on project design, resource mobilization, food systems governance, anti-corruption mechanisms, and advocacy skills.

Quantifiable outcome

• Established 11 Grievance Redress Mechanism committees across Phalombe and Dedza districts for the Affordable Inputs Program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, supporting and regional.

• OxfamcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor funding and implementing partner supporting CISANET's programs including the Reducing Poverty and Inequality Project under the Irish Civil Society Partnership (ICSP). Oxfam provides financial support for policy advocacy and smallholder farmer market access initiatives.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for the Malawi Fast Forward - Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation project and Food Systems Transformation Project. Supports resource mobilization workshops and food systems transformation initiatives.
• Welthungerhilfe (WHH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Strengthening Food and Nutrition Security Programming project implemented in collaboration with Tilitonse Foundation with funding from BMZ.
• FANRPAN (Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network partner with which CISANET co-hosts annual policy conferences and multi-stakeholder policy dialogues. FANRPAN returned to Malawi for its annual dialogue after 16 years.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural development initiatives including the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) platform development with COMESA.
• NASFAM (National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner organization representing smallholder farmers in Malawi's agricultural policy discussions.
• CARE InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO partner in agricultural development and food security programming.
• Concern WorldwidemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational humanitarian and development organization partner in food security initiatives.
• Save the ChildrenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO partner engaged in child-focused and agricultural development programming.
• FUM (Farmers Union of Malawi)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational farmer organization partner representing farmer interests in policy advocacy.
• HivosmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational development organization partner in sustainable agriculture and food systems programming.
• MwapatacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partner in the Malawi Fast Forward project focused on food systems transformation.
• CSONA (Civil Society Organisation Network of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational civil society network partner in agricultural policy coordination.
• CEPA (Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental policy advocacy organization partner in sustainable agriculture initiatives.
• Action AidmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational NGO partner in agricultural development and rights-based approaches.
• MUST (Malawi University of Science and Technology)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner providing research and technical expertise.
• Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency collaborating with CISANET on the COCOA project to combat corruption in the Affordable Inputs Program. Provides technical support for media tours, capacity building, and accountability mechanisms.
• Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency that participates in CISANET's market access dialogues, providing information on international markets and export procedures for smallholder farmers.
• DAPP (Development Aid from People to People)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISANET member organization implementing the Poverty Reduction of Vulnerable Beneficiaries Through Sustainable Soybean, Sunflower, and Groundnuts Producer Private Partnership project.
• LUANAR (Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the FOSTA Health project exploring food systems transformation in Southern Africa with a One Health focus.
• Right to Food CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCISANET serves as the secretariat for this coalition comprising civil society organizations and experts working on food and nutrition security. Established in 2021 to enhance coordination and create participatory mechanisms for monitoring food and nutrition programs.
• CSATsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Strengthening Rural Governance for the Right to Food project.
• COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional body partnered with AGRA developing the Regional Food Balance Sheet (RFBS) platform and mobile application for agricultural data and food security across the COMESA region.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oxfam: Major international NGO and a core CISANET funding partner through the Irish Civil Society Partnership. Works on overlapping food security and smallholder market access issues in Malawi and the region.
• CARE International: International humanitarian NGO and CISANET implementing partner on the Titukulane food and nutrition security project. Operates in the same Malawian agricultural and food security programming space.
• Concern Worldwide: International humanitarian and development organization and a CISANET partner. Engages on the same Malawian food security and livelihoods programming agenda.
• ActionAid International: International NGO and CISANET partner engaged in rights-based agricultural development in Malawi. Works on overlapping smallholder farmer rights and food security issues.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa): Large Africa-wide agricultural development organization and a CISANET funder/partner. Operates across the same agricultural transformation agenda at significantly greater scale and budget.

Direct peers

• PELUM Association (Participatory Ecological Land Use Management): Pan-African network of civil society organizations working on sustainable agriculture and food systems across eastern and southern Africa. Operates with a comparable CSO-coordination model in similar donor and policy environments.
• NASFAM (National Smallholder Farmers' Association of Malawi): Malawi's leading smallholder farmer association and a core CISANET member/partner. Represents the same smallholder farmer constituency on policy issues and shares Malawi's agricultural policy advocacy space.
• ESAFF (Eastern and Southern Africa Small-Scale Farmers' Forum): Regional small-scale farmer advocacy network active across eastern and southern Africa. Operates a similar constituency-based policy advocacy model on smallholder agriculture and food security.
• FUM (Farmers Union of Malawi): National farmer organization in Malawi and a CISANET strategic partner. Engages on the same agricultural policy advocacy issues and represents overlapping farmer membership constituencies.
• FANRPAN (Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network): Regional civil society network coordinating multi-stakeholder agricultural policy dialogue across Africa. CISANET co-hosts FANRPAN's annual policy dialogue and shares the same constituency of smallholder farmer advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cisanetmalawi
• Facebookfacebook.com/cisanetmw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cisanet-malawi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Civil Society Agriculture Network