Food Aid and Hunger in Malawi
In recent years, hunger in Malawi has increased significantly due to global inflation, recurring droughts, and natural disasters, including Cyclone Freddy, which devastated the country in March 2023. In 2022, the United Nations reported that up to one-third of the population, or 5.4 million people, were on the brink of extreme hunger.
Malawi’s Food Crisis
Malawi has been experiencing significant population growth, but its resources have not kept pace. This imbalance has led to numerous challenges, particularly concerning food and safe water. When supply falls far short of demand, a crisis ensues, disproportionately affecting the poor.
This crisis was anticipated due to several factors: Malawi is a landlocked country with limited natural resources, mediocre soil quality, widespread deforestation, and a high dependency on imports. Additionally, 85% of households engage in agriculture, but cyclical droughts hinder consistent strong harvests. Consequently, about half of all Malawians cannot meet their daily caloric requirements.
Malawi is currently facing a severe drought crisis linked to the El Niño climate phenomenon. On March 23, President Lazarus Chakwera declared a state of disaster in 23 of Malawi’s 28 districts, anticipating a poor harvest and appealing for more than $200 million in humanitarian assistance. El Niño has caused dry spells across much of Southern Africa, leading to poor agronomic conditions and potentially severe impacts on harvests.
Currently, 4.4 million people in Malawi (22% of the population) and an additional 18 million people in the region are experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity. Poor harvests at this critical time threaten to make the upcoming lean season in 2024/25 exceptionally dire.
*One Humanity’s Food Aid Program*
One Humanity continuously assists communities and villages in Malawi with food aid, providing essential items such as maize and beans. Our food aid program aims to ensure that much-needed support reaches families with little or nothing to survive on. We prioritize widows, orphans, the elderly, and the vulnerable.
A recent comment from a recipient of our assistance highlights the impact of our efforts:
“There is nothing left in my maize field; it was completely destroyed by the cyclone. With the help of One Humanity, the food items of maize and beans and the cash assistance came in very timely. My children do not have to go to sleep complaining of hunger. I was able to pay my children’s school fees, get them uniforms, and also pay my wife’s medical expenses.”
One Humanity remains committed to providing critical food aid and support to those in need in Malawi. (Zakat, Sadaqah, lillah accepted for this fund.)