Occasional Research

The Centre for Social Concern (CFSC) carries out occasional research on socio-economic issues on regular basis. This is done by the Social conditions research Programme and the Economic Justice and Good Governance programmes.

In 2004, the Economic Justice and Good Governance programme conducted a research study on The Living and Working Conditions of Tobacco Tenants, to raise public awareness on the struggles that poor tobacco tenants encounter in their every day lives at the tobacco estates. As a recommendation of the study, the CFSC is currently advocating for the Tobacco Tenancy Bill to be pushed in Parliament for it to be a Law.

In 2006, the Programme did another study to review the Privatisation of Malawi Railways and to assess how that decision has affected the poor who rely on rail transport.

During the same period in 2006, the Social Conditions Research programme conducted a survey on the Accessibility of ADMARC by poor smallholder farmers. The ADMARC Study uncovered the difficulties that poor smallholder farmers encounter whenever they want to sell their produce and/or buy food (maize) farm inputs from ADMARC markets. Poor farmers are forced to sell/buy their maize at private markets, where they are often exploited by private traders.

In 2008, the Centre is planning to conduct three more research studies.

For further information concerning the Occasional Research
please contact Chrissie Kafundu