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Malawi

Presence country
Malawi
Malawi flag
Food Security Outlook
February - September 2024
Rainfall deficits likely to reduce crop production and maintain food insecurity
  • Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Stressed! (IPC Phase 2!) outcomes supported by humanitarian food assistance will persist in southern Malawi through March 2024, when harvests start, and the assistance program in targeted areas comes to an end. While harvests will increase food and income availability in the May to August period, some households in southern Malawi will likely remain in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) due to a likelihood of reduced production as well as low resilience caused by consecutive years of tropical cyclones/flooding since 2019.  Central and northern Malawi districts will experience localized Stressed (IPC Phase 2) and Minimal (IPC Phase 1) outcomes until April and May 2024, when harvests will start. Most of central and northern Malawi will then be in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) classification through September 2024.
  • Between December 2023 and January 2024, maize grain prices in FEWS NET-monitored markets reached 230 percent above the five-year average, registering month-on-month price increases averaging 10 percent and year-on-year price percentage changes averaging 90 percent. At the national level, the absolute price averaged 905 MWK per kilogram, with the Nsanje market in southern Malawi recording the highest price of 1100 MWK per kilogram and the Mzuzu market in northern Malawi recording the lowest price of 720 MWK per kilogram. The average price of milled rice has increased by 6 percent compared to last month, 30 percent compared to the previous year, and 120 percent compared to the five-year average. Beans were trending 15 percent above last month, 50 percent above last year, and 110 percent above the five-year average. Maize prices are peaking in February before seasonally starting to decrease as the 2024 harvests boost household food stocks, increase market supply, and reduce market demand and dependence.
  • The Malawi economy continues to face challenges, including very high inflation and shortages of foreign currency. However, the macroeconomy was showing some improvements as of January and February, driven by the commencement in November 2023 of budgetary support and other aid by donors. According to the National Statistics Office, Malawi continues to register increased inflation, remaining around 35 percent from December 2023 to January 2024. Malawi’s foreign currency levels stay below the recommended minimum of 3.9 months of import cover (Reserve Bank of Malawi). The Reserve Bank of Malawi reported that the country’s foreign currency reserves had increased to an equivalent of 2.7 months of import cover as of the end of December 2023, up from less than one-month of import cover in previous months. The value of the Malawi Kwacha was reported to have decreased by 50 percent against the USD in the last quarter of 2023.
  • Malawi will likely record below-normal production in the 2023/24 agricultural season, mainly driven by poor rainfall performance due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, as forecasted by local, regional, and global models. According to the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) and FEWS NET’s seasonal forecast, January to March rainfall will likely be below average in southern and central Malawi, while rainfall in northern Malawi is expected to be average to above average. Extreme events such as mid-season dry spells and localized flooding are expected. Currently, Malawi is undergoing prolonged dry spells of over a month between January and February, which is causing severe moisture stress for crops and likely to cause significant loss of crop harvest. FEWS NET will closely follow-up and continually update the food insecurity analysis as the season evolves and the acute food insecurity outcome are likely to worsen.
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Latest Analysis Latest Analysis
View All Malawi Analysis
Food Security
Key Message Update Enhanced rainfall improves farm activities and income for poor households Malawi January 2024
Food Security Outlook Update Humanitarian assistance improves food security outcomes in southern Malawi Malawi December 2023
Key Message Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists amid El Niño conditions and currency devaluation Malawi November 2023
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi February 2024
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi January 2024
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi December 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Strong El Niño will drive high needs across Southern Africa through early 2025 Southern Africa November 8, 2023
Food Security
Key Message Update Enhanced rainfall improves farm activities and income for poor households Malawi January 2024
Food Security Outlook Update Humanitarian assistance improves food security outcomes in southern Malawi Malawi December 2023
Key Message Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists amid El Niño conditions and currency devaluation Malawi November 2023
Agroclimatology
No reports available.
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi February 2024
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi January 2024
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi December 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
Alert Strong El Niño will drive high needs across Southern Africa through early 2025 Southern Africa November 8, 2023
Food Security Classification Data View all Malawi classification data
Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification (February 2024 - September 2024)

Current (February 2024) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (February 2024 - May 2024) and medium term (June 2024 - September 2024) periods.

Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile February 2024 (.zip) (ZIP) Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification February 2024 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Current Situation: February 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: June 2024 - September 2024 (.png) (PNG) Current Situation: February 2024 (.kml) (KML) Near Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: June 2024 - September 2024 (.kml) (KML)
Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification (January 2024 - May 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile January 2024 (.zip) (ZIP) Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification January 2024 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: January 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: January 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML)
Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification (February 2023 - September 2023)

Current (February 2023) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (February 2023 - May 2023) and medium term (June 2023 - September 2023) periods.

Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile February 2023 (.zip) (ZIP) Malawi Acute Food Insecurity Classification February 2023 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Current Situation: February 2023 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: February 2023 - May 2023 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: June 2023 - September 2023 (.png) (PNG) Current Situation: February 2023 (.kml) (KML) Near Term Projection: February 2023 - May 2023 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: June 2023 - September 2023 (.kml) (KML)
Seasonal Calendar Seasonal Calendar
Description

The Seasonal Calendar shows the annual and cyclical patterns of key food and income sources in a country throughout the typical year.

Malawi Seasonal Calendar
Production & Trade Flow Maps
FEWS NET captures the market networks for a product in a given country or region, including their catchments and trade flow patterns.
Maize, Normal Year
Remote Sensing Imagery Remote Sensing Imagery
Description

USGS-provided data and imagery supports FEWS NET's monitoring efforts of weather and climate throughout the world.

View all remotely sensed imagery
Livelihood Zone Resources Livelihood Zone Resources
Malawi Livelihood Baseline Profiles, March 2016 Malawi Rural Baseline, September 2005 Malawi Livelihood Zone Map, July 2015
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