Malawi

Presence Country
January 2023

IPC 2.0 Acute Food Insecurity Phase

1: Minimal
2: Stressed
3: Crisis
4: Emergency
5: Famine
Would likely be at least one phase worse without current or programmed humanitarian assistance
FEWS NET classification is IPC-compatible. IPC-compatible analysis follows key IPC protocols but does not necessarily reflect the consensus of national food security partners.

IPC 2.0 Acute Food Insecurity Phase

1: Minimal
2: Stressed
3+: Crisis or higher
Would likely be at least one phase worse without
current or programmed humanitarian assistance
FEWS NET classification is IPC-compatible. IPC-compatible analysis follows key IPC protocols but does not necessarily reflect the consensus of national food security partners.
FEWS NET Remote Monitoring countries use a colored outline to represent the highest IPC classification in areas of concern.

IPC 2.0 Acute Food Insecurity Phase

Presence countries:
1: Minimal
2: Stressed
3: Crisis
4: Emergency
5: Famine
Remote monitoring
countries:
1: Minimal
2: Stressed
3+: Crisis or higher
Would likely be at least one phase worse without
current or programmed humanitarian assistance
FEWS NET Remote Monitoring countries use a colored outline to represent the highest IPC classification in areas of concern.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurida d Alimentaria Aguda

1: Mínima
2: Acentuada
3: Crisis
4: Emergencia
5: Hambruna
Se estima que seria al menos una fase peor sin ayuda humanitaria actual o programada
La manera de clasificación que utiliza FEWS NET es compatible con la CIF. Un análisisque es compatible con la CIF sigue los protocolos fundamentales de CIF pero nonecesariamente refleja el consenso de los socios nacionales en materia de seguridad alimentaria.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurida d Alimentaria Aguda

1: Mínima
2: Acentuada
3+: Crisis o peor
Se estima que seria al menos una fase
peor sin ayuda humanitaria actual o programada
La manera de clasificación que utiliza FEWS NET es compatible con la CIF. Un análisisque es compatible con la CIF sigue los protocolos fundamentales de CIF pero nonecesariamente refleja el consenso de los socios nacionales en materia de seguridad alimentaria.
Para los países de Monitoreo Remoto, FEWS NET utiliza un contorno de color en el mapa CIF que representa la clasificación más alta de CIF en las áreas de preocupación.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurida d Alimentaria Aguda

Países presenciales:
1: Mínima
2: Acentuada
3: Crisis
4: Emergencia
5: Hambruna
Países de monitoreo remoto:
1: Mínima
2: Acentuada
3+: Crisis o peor
Se estima que seria al menos una fase
peor sin ayuda humanitaria actual o programada
Para los países de Monitoreo Remoto, FEWS NET utiliza un contorno de color en el mapa CIF que representa la clasificación más alta de CIF en las áreas de preocupación.

IPC 2.0 Phase d'Insécurité Alimentaire Aiguë

1: Minimale
2: Stress
3: Crise
4: Urgence
5: Famine
Serait probablement pire, au moins une phase, sans l'assistance humanitaire en cours ou programmée
La manière de classification que FEWS NET utilise est compatible avec l’IPC. Une analyse qui est compatible avec l’IPC suit les principaux protocoles de l’IPC mais ne reflète pas nécessairement le consensus des partenaires nationaux en matière de sécurité alimentaire.

IPC 2.0 Phase d'Insécurité Alimentaire Aiguë

1: Minimale
2: Stress
3+: Crise ou pire
Serait probablement pire, au moins une phase, sans
l'assistance humanitaire en cours ou programmée
La manière de classification que FEWS NET utilise est compatible avec l’IPC. Une analyse qui est compatible avec l’IPC suit les principaux protocoles de l’IPC mais ne reflète pas nécessairement le consensus des partenaires nationaux en matière de sécurité alimentaire.
Pour les pays suivis à distance par FEWS NET, un contour coloré est utilisé pour représenter la classification de l’IPC la plus élevée dans les zones de préoccupation.

IPC 2.0 Phase d'Insécurité Alimentaire Aiguë

Pays de présence:
1: Minimale
2: Stress
3: Crise
4: Urgence
5: Famine
Pays suivis à distance:
1: Minimale
2: Stress
3+: Crise ou pire
Serait probablement pire, au moins une phase, sans
l'assistance humanitaire en cours ou programmée
Pour les pays suivis à distance par FEWS NET, un contour coloré est utilisé pour représenter la classification de l’IPC la plus élevée dans les zones de préoccupation.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurança Alimentar Aguda Baseado

1: Minima
2: Stress
3: Crise
4: Emergência
5: Fome
Poderia ser pior sem a assistência humanitária em vigor ou programad
A maneira de classificação que utiliza FEWS NET é compatível com a CIF. A análise compatível com a CIF segue os protocolos fundamentais da CIF mas não necessariamente reflete o consenso dos parceirosnacionais com respeito a segurança alimentar.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurança Alimentar Aguda Baseado

1: Minima
2: Stress
3+: Crise ou pior
Poderia ser pior sem a assistência
humanitária em vigor ou programad
A maneira de classificação que utiliza FEWS NET é compatível com a CIF. A análise compatível com a CIF segue os protocolos fundamentais da CIF mas não necessariamente reflete o consenso dos parceirosnacionais com respeito a segurança alimentar.
Para os países de Monitoreo Remoto, FEWS NET utiliza um contorno de cor no mapa CIF para representar a classificação mais alta da CIF nas áreas de preocupação.

CIF 2.0 Fase de Insegurança Alimentar Aguda Baseado

Países com presença:
1: Minima
2: Stress
3: Crise
4: Emergência
5: Fome
Países sem presença:
1: Minima
2: Stress
3+: Crise ou pior
Poderia ser pior sem a assistência
humanitária em vigor ou programad
Para os países de Monitoreo Remoto, FEWS NET utiliza um contorno de cor no mapa CIF para representar a classificação mais alta da CIF nas áreas de preocupação.

January 2023

February - May 2023

IPC v3.1 Acute Food Insecurity Phase

1: Minimal
2: Stressed
3: Crisis
4: Emergency
5: Famine
National Parks/Reserves
Would likely be at least one phase worse without current or programmed humanitarian assistance
FEWS NET classification is IPC-compatible. IPC-compatible analysis follows key IPC protocols but does not necessarily reflect the consensus of national food security partners.
Key Messages
  • Most of the Southern Region, parts of the Central Region, and pockets of the Northern Region continue to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3), Stressed! (IPC Phase 2!), and Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes during the ongoing lean season. Following large crop and labor income losses during the 2021/22 production year, households in these areas have insufficient access to food amid persistently high prices for both food and essential non-food commodities. While deliveries of humanitarian food assistance are currently ongoing, the scale of need exceeds available resources for the humanitarian response in several districts where at least 20 percent of the population still faces food consumption gaps.

  • In December, the average price of maize across FEWS NET monitored markets in Malawi was 453 MWK/kg, which is 193 percent above last year and 156 percent above the five-year average. The lowest price was recorded in Lilongwe at 325 MWK/kg, where supply has benefitted from surplus production in northern and central Malawi. The highest price was observed in Karonga in northern Malawi (531 MWK/kg), which is influenced by higher-price imports from Tanzania and Kenya, as Karonga and neighboring Chitipa district are the main export transit points for maize to the rest of the country. While prices are high in Karonga, households in the surrounding livelihood zones have more resources and diverse food and income sources to meet their food needs compared to the rest of the country.

  • The main crop production season is fully underway, and rainfall performance has significantly improved compared to the late and erratic start of the season. In January, monthly rainfall totals ranged from near to above average, driving recovery in cumulative seasonal rainfall totals. According to global and regional forecasts and the Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), rainfall from January to March will also most likely be above average. However, there remains a risk of flash floods in flood-prone areas and localized dry spells.

  • The 2023 maize harvest, which begins in April, will likely be below average due to the late and erratic start of the rainfall season and reduced utilization of fertilizer, which directly affect crop yields. Due to economic constraints, the government only plans to deliver subsidized fertilizer to 2.5 million farmers this year, compared to 3.7 million last year. Additionally, deliveries have been delayed, and only 30 percent of the targeted number of farmers have reportedly received the supplies, increasing the risk that many farmers will miss the window for fertilizer application. Additionally, the price of subsidized fertilizer has doubled from 7,000 MWK per 50-kg bag to 15,000 MWK.

  • Labor demand and wage rates remain below normal, reducing a key source of income for poor households as this is the peak season for agricultural labor opportunities. On the one hand, the number of households in search of income from on-farm labor is elevated due to the loss of their own-produced crops last year, leading to an increase in the labor supply. On the other hand, middle and better-off households that typically hire labor have fewer resources available to hire labor after consecutive years of below-average revenue from below-average crop production seasons. In a typical year, labor provides up to 40 percent of the annual total income earned by very poor and poor households. 

Food Security

Malawi Food Security Classification (January 2023 - May 2023)

Near term (January 2023 - January 2023) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for medium term (February 2023 - May 2023) periods.

Downloads

Weather, Climate, and Agriculture

Remote Sensing Imagery

Feb 2023

Pentad (2023-02-26 - 2023-02-28)
Feb 2023

Dekad (2023-02-21 - 2023-02-28)
Aug 2022

Dekad (2022-08-11 - 2022-08-20)
Seasonal Calendar

Markets & Trade

Price Watch
Price Bulletin
February 2023
Cross Border Trade Report

Production & Trade Flow Maps

Supply and Market Outlook

Enhanced Market Analysis

Livelihoods

Livelihoods Zone Narrative

Livelihood Zone Map

About FEWS NET

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network is a leading provider of early warning and analysis on food insecurity. Created by USAID in 1985 to help decision-makers plan for humanitarian crises, FEWS NET provides evidence-based analysis on approximately 30 countries. Implementing team members include NASA, NOAA, USDA, USGS, and CHC-UCSB, along with Chemonics International Inc. and Kimetrica.
Learn more About Us.

Link to United States Agency for International Development (USAID)Link to the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) FEWS NET Data PortalLink to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Link to National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth ObservatoryLink to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service, Climage Prediction CenterLink to the Climate Hazards Center - UC Santa BarbaraLink to KimetricaLink to Chemonics