Malawi

Presence country
Malawi
 Malawi flag
Key Message Update
November 2023
Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists amid El Niño conditions and currency devaluation
  • Crisis (IPC Phase 3) is expected to persist in much of the south and in some central regions until March 2024. Poor and very poor households are coping by eating one meal a day and resorting to less-preferred and wild foods as their food stocks rapidly diminish. Maize shortages and high food prices are limiting the financial capacity of many households to access enough food. Very poor and poor households that rely on agricultural labor are earning below-average incomes due to the negative impacts of delayed rainfall on farming activities in most parts of the country. However, as of October 2023, the Affordable Inputs Program (AIP) started input distribution and reached around 22,000 farmers in Zomba, Balaka, Chiradzulu, and Karonga. The AIP is expected to benefit over 70 percent of eligible households, providing subsidized inputs.
  • As the lean season approaches, significant concern looms over poor and very poor households in southern districts of Malawi, including Machinga, Mulanje, Chiradzulu, Thyolo, Chikwawa, Nsanje, Phalombe, Balaka, parts of Mwanza, Neno, Zomba, and Blantyre. Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes are expected among 5 to 10 percent of the worst-affected populations in these areas due to the effects of Cyclone Freddy. The cyclone caused substantial losses of crops, livestock, and livelihood assets. Current El Niño conditions have further restricted access to agricultural labor. Combined with recent local currency devaluation, this is reducing household purchasing power for basic food items and agricultural inputs. However, distribution of humanitarian assistance started in October 2023, targeting seven districts facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes: Mangochi, Machinga, Zomba, Phalombe, Mulanje, Blantyre, and Thyolo. Humanitarian assistance is expected to continue but is likely to be inconsistent and insufficient to change the food security outcomes of these areas.
  • Malawi is expected to experience strong El Niño conditions during the 2023/24 rainy season, according to global, regional, and national rainfall models. FEWS NET science partners at USGS, UCSB, and NOAA indicate that the 2023/24 rainy season will be below average in southern Malawi, while average to above-average rainfall is expected in central and northern Malawi. Meanwhile, the southern region and some districts of the central region received little rainfall in November, and some farmers have started planting. As confirmed by the Malawi Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, districts across the country received only scattered, light rainfall in the first few weeks of November, which generally contributed to delays in the planting of major crops. However, farmers have started planting as of mid-November, and it is anticipated crop production to be below-average. 
  • The Malawian economy continues to face challenges, including a scarcity of hard currency reserves, persistent high inflation, and escalating debt repayment obligations. Recently, the Central Bank of Malawi devalued the Malawi Kwacha by 44 percent, setting it at 1,700 MWK per USD. Import cover, as reported in the October 2023 Continental Discount House (CDH) update, remains low, only adequate to sustain approximately one month of imports, despite a slight improvement during post the tobacco auction. Given the IMF's extended credit facility approval, the import cover is anticipated to gradually improve but won't fully address the overarching economic challenges. In September 2023, the year-on-year inflation rate reached around 30 percent, with food and non-food inflation rates soaring at 40 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Additionally, projections from FEWS NET-monitored markets indicate an increase in maize grain prices, expected to be 260 percent higher than the five-year average and 460 percent higher than last year's average prices. 
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Latest Analysis Latest Analysis
View All Malawi Analysis
Food Security
Food Security Outlook Food aid levels atypically low amid expansion of Crisis outcomes in the south Malawi October 2023 - May 2024
Key Message Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) expected amid high food prices and insufficient assistance Malawi September 2023
Food Security Outlook Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists in south, but food assistance remains inadequate Malawi August 2023
Agroclimatology
Global Weather Hazards Flooding spreads into southeastern Africa, while parts of southern Africa remain abnormally dry Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Southern Africa experiences flooding, while abnormal dryness continues in Eastern Africa Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Southern Africa experiences flooding, while abnormal dryness continues in Eastern Africa Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi October 2023
Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa October 1, 2023
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi September 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
Food Security Outlook Food aid levels atypically low amid expansion of Crisis outcomes in the south Malawi October 2023 - May 2024
Key Message Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) expected amid high food prices and insufficient assistance Malawi September 2023
Food Security Outlook Update Crisis (IPC Phase 3) persists in south, but food assistance remains inadequate Malawi August 2023
Agroclimatology
Global Weather Hazards Flooding spreads into southeastern Africa, while parts of southern Africa remain abnormally dry Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Southern Africa experiences flooding, while abnormal dryness continues in Eastern Africa Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Southern Africa experiences flooding, while abnormal dryness continues in Eastern Africa Global February 10, 2023 - February 16, 2023
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi October 2023
Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa Regional Supply and Market Outlook Southern Africa October 1, 2023
Price Bulletin Malawi Price Bulletin Malawi September 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 (November 2023 - May 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (November 2023 - January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

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

Current (October 2023) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (October 2023 - January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

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

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (September 2023) and medium term (October 2023 - January 2024) periods.

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

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

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
Malawi 2015 Livelihood Zones Map (.PNG)
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