According to the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, the Southern Region of Malawi faces a high, compound risk from El Niño weather patterns. An area-specific report issued this week indicates that 12 southern districts are simultaneously facing severe drought conditions and extreme rainfall risks. The Central Region faces moderate drought and dry spells, while the Northern Region currently carries a low overall risk.
The department also issued an air quality forecast for the week. The bulletin warns that air quality will remain unhealthy for sensitive groups across southern Malawi, as well as portions of the central and lakeshore regions.
Meanwhile, researchers and health professionals have called for increased collaboration to build climate-adapted health infrastructure, according to a report from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. The appeal was made during a SMART-H project workshop led by Associate Professor Innocent Kafodya, which focused on creating sustainable medical systems capable of withstanding climate-related environmental shocks.
In conservation and fisheries news, the government is considering tax and duty waivers for investors in fish cage farming to offset declining wild fish catches in Lake Malawi and other natural water bodies. According to the Nyasa Times, Minister of Natural Resources Patricia Wiskes announced the potential incentives during a tour of commercial farming operations in Salima district, noting that the high cost of imported equipment is currently hindering local aquaculture development.