Agriculture experts have warned that Malawi will continue experiencing recurring hunger unless government urgently addresses long-standing weaknesses in the country’s food production systems and improves the efficiency of farming input delivery.
Food and agriculture specialist Tamani Nkhono Mvula says Malawi has all the natural conditions required to achieve lasting food security, but poor productivity and structural weaknesses continue to undermine the sector.
One of the major challenges, he notes, is declining soil fertility across most farming areas, which drastically reduces crop yields.
Mvula says many farmers are unable to afford improved seed and fertilizer, forcing them to rely on recycled seed varieties and depleted soils that can no longer produce enough to sustain households. He argues that without affordable access to quality inputs, efforts to boost national food production will remain limited.
“We have all the potential to be a food-secure country, even a food-exporting country. Most households cannot produce enough unless they use improved inputs, which many cannot afford without government support,” he says.
Mvula further warns that Malawi’s heavy dependence on rain-fed agriculture exposes the country to severe risks every year, especially with the increasing unpredictability of rainfall patterns.
He explains that most districts collapse into food shortages whenever rains delay, come in excess, or fail altogether.
Despite having numerous rivers and water bodies, Malawi remains largely reliant on seasonal rains, leaving farmers vulnerable and unable to produce consistently throughout the year.
“There are countries that receive less rainfall than us but are food-secure because they invested in irrigation. As long as we rely on rainfall alone, any failed season will push us back into hunger,” he explains.
Mvula also points to weak market systems, saying poor food distribution contributes to localized shortages.
Another agriculture expert, Felix Jumbe, says persistent hunger in Malawi is also being worsened by government’s late delivery of critical farming inputs.
He observes that every year, thousands of farmers receive fertilizer and seed long after the planting window has passed, resulting in poor germination and lower yields.
Jumbe argues that timely delivery is just as important as the inputs themselves, warning that late distribution undermines agricultural productivity nationwide.
Jumbe stresses that Malawi must rethink its long-term agricultural strategy and reduce its heavy reliance on rainfall.
“When seed and fertilizer come late, farmers fail to plant on time, and once the window is missed, yields automatically fall. We cannot expect better harvests if the inputs always arrive after the rains.
“Government has to invest massively in irrigation, just like other countries that built dams on every river to guarantee water for farming. We need early and adequate support if farmers are to be self-sufficient. Relief alone is not enough,” said Jumbe.
On 13 November 2025, President Prof. Peter Mutharika extended the declaration of a State of Disaster across all districts affected by prolonged dry spells that have intensified the country’s food insecurity.