FEWS Malawi Food Security Update August 2007

Two consecutive bumper harvests have resulted in a good overall food security situation. The 2006/07 agricultural season was the best on record, with maize production estimated at 3.44 million MT, 33.7 percent higher than the 2005/06 season harvest. As a result, good household food stocks have translated into reduced market demand for maize and consequently lower maize prices in the local markets than is usually the case for this time of the season.

Although household food security is generally good across the country, some areas need close monitoring (Table 1), as the worsening of some factors affecting food security would result in missing food entitlements for some households.

Imports and exports of the various crops continue through both formal and informal cross–border trade. Official maize exports to Zimbabwe are progressing well. Malawi has exported about 114,000 MT of the 400,000 MT of maize it plans to export to Zimbabwe.

General food security situation

Although the food security situation is generally favorable across the country, there are some areas where high vulnerability to food insecurity exists and close monitoring is required. Worsening economic conditions, such as reductions in cash crop prices and increases in maize prices, could push the food entitlements of some households below their minimum needs between August 2007 and April 2008. If this occurs, these households will require assistance to mitigate the effects of food insecurity.

Areas where populations are highly vulnerable to food insecurity this year include Nsanje, Chikwawa, Balaka, Mulanje and Machinga districts in the southern region, Mzimba and Karonga districts in the northern region and Ntchisi District in the central region (Table 1). The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) estimates that approximately 519,000 people are at risk of food insecurity should any of the conditions mentioned above deteriorate.