Malawi, a country heavily reliant on agriculture as the backbone of its economy, finds itself facing the prospect of acute food insecurity.
This is according to the 2023 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), which has shown that Malawi is in phase three in 13 countries that are said to be facing food crises.
The report indicates that one of the contributing factors to Malawi’s food insecurity is weather shocks, which have been exacerbated by climate change.
“The country has been plagued by lingering droughts, extensive floods and tropical cyclones, severely impacting crop yields and jeopardising the drive for food security. Achieving the Malawi 2063 pillar, which aims to ensure permanent food security for all citizens, has been hindered by these climate-related challenges” the report reads
The report further indicates that while agriculture remains vital for Malawi’s economic development, the country is facing challenges in its quest to improve the sector, citing “unrealistic” agricultural policies among the factors that have fuelled the situation.
The report also shows that only 1 percent of the agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) is devoted to research, with subsidies taking precedence over other productive sectors such as extension and research.
Commenting on the report, Agriculture Minister Sam Kawale said his ministry is promoting the use of climate-smart agriculture to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
“We are also encouraging farmers to diversify the type of crops they grow so that people can have a wide variety of foods to eat so that the country can attain food security status. We can achieve that if we apply these as well as other strategies,” Kawale said.
He said his ministry is also promoting the use of irrigation to manage the use of water and mitigate the impact of climate change.
Meanwhile, agriculture policy commentators have urged stakeholders to promote the cultivation of climate-resilient crops.
Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA) Project Manager Gbenga Akinwale said there is a need for the country to increase the adoption of climate-smart technologies in the face of climate change impacts.
“To address the problem of food insecurity, Malawi requires a multi-faceted approach that combines climate-smart technologies, policy improvements and enhanced collaboration among researchers, farmers and policymakers,” Akinwale said
He said the DeSIRA project— led by the International Potato Centre (CIP) and jointly implemented by seven Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) centres and other agricultural research institutions— has been working to develop climate-smart technologies tailored to local conditions.
Akinwale said the project has introduced multiple innovations, including crop mixtures (agricultural intensification), which are awaiting approval from the Agricultural Technology Clearing Committee.
He said, currently, over 10 international agricultural scientists with expertise in various fields, from economists to agronomists, are working together with local researchers and farmers to find a long lasting solution.
Concurring with Akinwale, Director of Agricultural Research Services Grace Kaudzu said climate change has hit Malawi hard, more so because it has brought with it new pests and diseases,
“There is a need to develop a critical mass of agricultural research scientists with enhanced knowledge if we, as a country, are to pull through,” Kaudzu said
Meanwhile, a member of a farmers’ association in Kasungu Rabson Katsilizika has asked government and private sector players to be providing certified seeds to local communities and train farmers in new agricultural practices to overcome climate-related crop diseases and challenges.
“There is a knowledge gap between farmers and researchers when it comes to adopting new technologies,” Katsilizika said
The report has highlighted that the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity in Central and Southern Africa increased by a staggering 67 percent between 2016 and 2021.