The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FewsNet) has warned that maize is expected to become more scarce in the country in the coming months, a development that will further push prices up.
FewsNet, an information hub established and funded by the United States Agency for International Development, said in its outlook for October 2024 onwards that regional white maize supplies are expected to tighten further.
The report said Malawi and neighbouring Zambia are expected to face sharp pressure on maize prices and availability.
Reads the report: “Forecasted La Niña conditions will likely impact regional production next year, with a high probability of continuing through February 2025. Typically, La Niña results in increased rainfall and sporadic flooding in the Southern Africa region.”
In September, FewsNet said limited maize availability in Malawi increased food prices by 13 percent annually and 151 percent above the five-year average.
Reacting to the report, the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) observed that government’s winter-cropping efforts, a primary strategy to mitigate food shortages, has been hampered by various setbacks.
CfSC economic governance programmes officer Agnes Nyirongo said winter-cropping, intended to increase off-season maize production, has encountered logistical delays and budgetary constraints, making it unable to fill the gap in food supply.
In a written response, she said long-term solutions include government facilitating emergency maize imports and building strategic reserves by scaling up maize imports from alternative markets.
Nyirongo also said government should look beyond Southern Africa to diversify its grain sources by negotiating for concessional import rates where possible to offset high costs.
“Engaging in strategic partnerships or even contracting emergency suppliers from as far as South America or East Africa could ensure a steady inflow of maize while preventing over-reliance on regional suppliers,” she said.
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources agriculture economist Horace Phiri, in a separate interview yesterday, said Malawi must acknowledge that the impact of weather-related shocks on food supply is huge and calls for adaptation.
He advised government that during implementation of the Affordable Inputs Programme, farmers should be provided with resilient seeds that correspond with prevailing weather conditions.
Said Phiri: “There is need for research and innovation to see what can work best under such conditions. Drought resistant crops should be made available to farmers, not just on paper.
“Farmers should have access to weather updates to help them minimise losses or prepare with crops that are resilient to adverse conditions.”
In August this year, The Nation reported that government’s plan to fill a 600 000 (MT) maize deficit through winter and irrigation farming was in disarray while its humanitarian appeal only attracted a fifth of what is required to save at least four million starving Malawians.
