Hunger shifts to Malawi’s cities

Despite a significant reduction in the number of food-insecure people nationwide, Malawi has recorded a sharp increase in urban households requiring food assistance during the 2026/27 lean season.

Results of the 2026 Food Security Vulnerability Assessment (MVAC) show that while the overall number of food-insecure people has fallen by 35 percent to 2.6 million, the number of affected people in urban areas has risen by 27 percent to 81,405.

The assessment, conducted between May and June 2026, attributes the increase to urban populations in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu and Zomba.

In contrast, rural food insecurity has declined by 36 percent, with 2,531,266 people expected to require food assistance during the October 2026 to March 2027 lean season.

Overall, the report estimates that 14 percent of Malawi’s projected population will not be able to meet their annual food requirements during the lean period.

The government says approximately 97,887 metric tonnes of food, valued at K124.3 billion, will be needed to support affected households for between three and four months.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Decentralisation, the nationwide improvement in food security is largely due to favourable weather conditions that resulted in a bumper harvest during the 2025/26 agricultural season.

The Ministry of Agriculture estimates maize production increased by 15 percent, from 2.86 million metric tonnes in the 2024/25 season to 3.3 million metric tonnes in 2025/26.

Government says it has already begun implementing interventions to assist vulnerable households but is appealing to development partners and the private sector for additional support to address the remaining food security challenges.