Malawi

Malawi has been affected by extreme weather events that have heavily impacted food security at household and national levels, the most recent being Tropical Cyclone Freddy in 2023, which damaged homes, farms, crops and livestock. Successive climatic shocks, economic decline and high food prices have left families with little time to recover and limited capacity to cope.  The number of people requiring humanitarian assistance in food and nutrition has been rising steadily. The impacts of an El Niño event in 2023/2024, particularly deficit-producing areas (maize production is lower compared to other parts of the country) of southern Malawi, will likely reduce agricultural production compounding the food insecurity situation. About 4.4 million people are estimated to be facing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) through March 2024.

Additionally, Malawi is still reeling from the effects of a cholera outbreak that began in February 2022 – its deadliest in 40 years – recording more than 41,000 cases and over 1,000 deaths. The outbreak was declared a national public health emergency in December 2022 and officially ended in August 2023. However, surveillance continues as at least 163 cases have been registered in February 2024 since the start of the cholera season in November.
 

IPC Phase 3 food insecurity outcomes are expected to persist or increase in southern Malawi during the peak of the 2023/24 lean season and during the 2024 post-harvest period between April and June 2024, particularly in areas affected by erratic rainfall and by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. 

 Extensive damage to crops and a consequent surge in staple food prices caused by Tropical Cyclone Freddy have left poor families unable to meet their basic food needs. Many poor people will also enter the 2023–2024 season with limited agricultural inputs. El Niño is expected to exacerbate the effects of localized poor harvests in 2023 and macroeconomic conditions in Malawi. 

The adverse effects of El Niño during the 2023/24 rainy season, such as reduced employment opportunities and soaring food prices, are anticipated to reverse any recent progress. Deficit-producing areas of southern Malawi are likely to require food assistance through 2024 to early 2025 to prevent the persistence and increase of ongoing acute food insecurity. Southern Malawi has historically been less food secure than the rest of the country and is home to 44 per cent of the country’s population. It is also home to 56 per cent of those in need of humanitarian assistance.

An estimated 4.4 million people in 28 districts, of whom 266,000 are in IPC Phase 4, require food assistance for 2 to 6 months during the 2023/2024 lean season, according to the 2023 Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee. 

Food distributions have begun in 11 districts, primarily in southern Malawi where the need is anticipated to be most acute. Funding shortfalls have significantly hampered current humanitarian food assistance with 17 districts yet to be reached. 

Current food distributions are marked by inconsistency while assistance levels are below the typical lean season assistance due to underfunding. Efforts to mitigate the negative impacts El Niño 2023/24 are also underway in several districts of southern Malawi. 

Multi-sectoral anticipatory action initiatives funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office will address agriculture, food security and livelihoods of families who are expected to be impacted by prolonged dry spells as a result of El Niño.