By Wezzie Gausi :
The Government of Malawi has unveiled immediate and long-term measures to address a looming maize deficit and rising food insecurity, with the Ministry of Agriculture prioritising local procurement, irrigation farming and food diversification to stabilise supply and prices.
Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale told The Daily Times that government agencies, including the Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (Admarc) and National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), have already begun purchasing local maize to replenish national reserves and limit informal exports.
“Timely entry into the markets is critical. Buying maize directly from farmers not only stabilises prices but also helps inject cash into rural communities,” Kawale said.
He added that the government was contracting commercial entities such as the Geen Belt Initiative and Press Agriculture Limited to grow irrigated winter maize while working with stakeholders to assess and identify vulnerable households for targeted food assistance.
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According to Kawale, the strategic importation of maize would be pursued only as a last resort.
“We have explored all options and imports will only complement local production. The NFRA has already secured maize from Tanzania and further discussions are ongoing,” he said.
In a separate response, Mwapata Institute Executive Director William Chadza called for a shift away from maize, warning that the monoculture approach leaves the country exposed to climate and market shocks.
“To build true resilience, we must diversify both what we grow and what we eat,” Chadza said. “We are promoting cassava, sweet potatoes, sorghum, millet and legumes such as groundnuts and pigeon peas—crops that are more climate-resilient and nutritionally valuable.”
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Chadza also stressed the importance of scaling up irrigation as climate change continues to disrupt traditional rain-fed agriculture.
“Large-scale investments in irrigation, such as the Shire Valley Transformation Programme and Agcom, must be complemented with farmer-led initiatives such as solar-powered irrigation systems,” he said.
He noted that the NFRA’s ongoing local maize procurement drive—backed by Treasury funding—would serve a dual purpose of replenishing reserves and supporting local producers.
