• We highlight the need for and a path towards policies Malawi could adopt to achieve economic development and transformation. • Overarching challenges include policy unpredictability, incomplete implementation, and poor coordination among stakeholders. • FISP spending crowds out other investments that could address low productivity and environmental degradation. • Leadership requires political will, evidence-based analysis, and a coalition of public, private, donor and NGO interests. • MwAPATAʼs Agriculture Policy Reform Mechanism (MAReM) will facilitate this coalition to improve Malawian agriculture.