Partnership building as an approach to addressing corporate social responsibility in the agriculture sector in Malawi

A key factor in improving Malawi's trade and economic growth will be how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) provides a platform for stakeholders to come together to manage Malawi's supply and value chains so as to also improve livelihoods, in particular in the agriculture sector, the most prominent in the country. This article analyses what motivates businesses in the Malawian agriculture sector to implement CSR, and how companies and other stakeholders give shape and substance to their partnerships. It examines three case studies that reflect the types of CSR partnerships that have emerged within the sector. These highlight the transition from issue-specific partnerships to ones established to address the underlying business case for CSR to promote competitive advantage and innovation in companies' core business strategies. The article concludes that the new models of partnership emerging in Malawi are indicative of the next generation of partnership development in Africa and elsewhere.