MSPs met local communities to report on the situation

The group of six MSPs, led by Margaret Ewing, said twinning arrangements or staff exchanges were the best way to help poor African communities.

The politicians visited schools, hospitals, clinics and orphanages during their eight-day stay.

A parliamentary debate on their findings was taking place at Holyrood on Thursday.

During their African visit last month, they witnessed the challenges faced by Malawi's 12 million inhabitants in combating poverty, debt, corruption and Aids.

Their report has identified ways in which Scotland can help tackle poverty, with schools, hospitals and government agencies being urged to take part in twinning projects with Malawi.

Our practical recommendations could make the world of difference to the people on the frontline in Africa Margaret Ewing MSP

The MSPs, representing each of the main political parties in Scotland, have also called for specialised equipment to be sent to the stricken nation.

Mrs Ewing said: "Helping Africa to help itself is one of the most important goals for this century and Scottish organisations are quite rightly playing their part in this."

She said the MSPs had met many "dedicated" volunteers, some as young as 18, who had given years of their lives to working in Africa.

"While the Scottish Parliament may not be responsible for international development, we can help to make it easier for the Scots and Scottish organisations working in Africa," she said.

"Our practical recommendations could make the world of difference to the people on the frontline in Africa."

Malawi's food security situation is precarious and the country is prone to natural disasters of both extremes - from drought to heavy rainfalls - putting it in constant need of thousands of tons of food aid every year.

'Dedicated volunteers'

The country's single major natural resource, agricultural land, is under severe pressure from rapid population growth.

Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year. After years of silence, the authorities spoke out about the crisis.

An official programme to tackle HIV-Aids was launched in 2004, with President Bakili Muluzi revealing that his brother had died from the disease.

Basic services for Malawians need to be upgraded

Meanwhile, First Minister Jack McConnell is taking youngsters on a trip to Malawi in May.

The week-long Malawi trip, for a group of about six children and two teachers, will be the prize in a competition.

The youngsters will be asked to study the issue of education for young people in Africa in essay, poster, video or music form and suggest a useful project that could be undertaken.

The winning team will set up formal links with a school in Malawi and later this year a return visit will be arranged for the African children.

Dr Graeme Walker, an obstetrician from the Simpson Maternity Hospital in Edinburgh, will also be travelling out to Malawi in May.

He is leading a team of volunteer midwives who will train hospital staff.

He said: "Our course is a practical course and we certainly need to be on site to teach them the practicalities of life saving in obstetrics.

"With regard to the equipment, we can guarantee to get it to the people that need it on the actual labour wards."