By Burnett Munthali
Malawi is on the brink of a severe food crisis, with an estimated 5.7 million people—28 percent of the population—expected to face crisis-level food insecurity between October 2024 and March 2025, according to the latest Malawi Emergency Monitoring (MEM) report. This marks a significant increase from the 4.4 million people who experienced acute food insecurity in 2023, signaling a worsening humanitarian situation fueled by multiple economic and environmental challenges.
The MEM report attributes the deepening crisis to difficulties in accessing agricultural inputs and the lingering impact of Cyclone Freddy, which devastated parts of the country. Poor harvests, rising food prices, and the continued depreciation of the Malawian kwacha have further compounded the problem, leaving millions vulnerable to hunger.
Southern Malawi hit hardest
The crisis has disproportionately affected households in southern Malawi, where many families have been forced to drastically reduce their daily food intake. According to the MEM findings:
40 percent of families reported eating fewer than two meals per day in August 2024.
30 percent of households revealed that they had gone an entire day without eating, indicating a severe deterioration in food security.
The situation has led to increased malnutrition rates, particularly among children and pregnant women, raising concerns over the long-term health impacts of prolonged hunger. With food prices skyrocketing and maize shortages becoming more pronounced, households are resorting to desperate survival strategies, including selling off essential assets and reducing expenditures on health and education.
Government and humanitarian response
In response to the crisis, the Malawian government and international aid agencies have ramped up efforts to provide emergency food assistance. However, funding constraints and logistical challenges have slowed down intervention efforts. The government has pledged to expand its social protection programs and increase subsidized farm input distribution, but these measures may not be sufficient to fully address the escalating crisis.
Meanwhile, humanitarian organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and USAID are working to mobilize additional resources to support affected populations. Aid agencies have called for urgent international assistance to prevent the crisis from spiraling into a full-blown famine.
Call for long-term solutions
While short-term relief efforts are crucial, experts stress the need for long-term solutions to enhance Malawi’s food security and resilience. Key recommendations include:
Investing in climate-resilient agriculture to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events.
Strengthening input supply chains to ensure farmers have access to fertilizers and seeds at affordable prices.
Enhancing irrigation infrastructure to reduce reliance on erratic rainfall patterns.
Diversifying food sources to lessen dependence on maize, which remains the country’s staple crop.
Outlook for 2025
With the peak lean season approaching, the situation is expected to worsen in the coming months, placing further pressure on vulnerable households. If immediate action is not taken, Malawi could face one of its worst food crises in recent years, with devastating consequences for millions of people.
As the country grapples with the growing food insecurity crisis, strong policy interventions, enhanced donor support, and sustainable agricultural reforms will be critical in ensuring that Malawi can avert an even greater humanitarian disaster.
